Not-so-young future as India's fertility rate dips, shows data

Infant mortality and under-five mortality has reduced from 40.7 to 35.2 and 49.7 to 41.9

With India’s fertility rate -- children per woman -- declining from 2.2 to two between 2015-16 and 2019-21, we could be seeing a demographic shift towards an ageing population.

India’s fertility rate has fallen below the replacement level fertility of 2.1, as defined by the UN Population Division. A fall below the replacement level indicates a shift of demography towards an ageing population.

Population experts say changing lifestyles and life choices as well as government health schemes are reasons for this shift. Due to the National Health Mission, the institutional delivery mechanism has improved, which has led to a decline in infant