India's population growth story a tale of two halves

The story of population growth in India is one of two halves. A child born in India today is more likely to be born in the north of the country.

- Rohini Mohan

KOCHI But if the child happens to be born in the south, his mother is more likely to survive childbirth, he is less likely to die before his first birthday, more likely to get vaccinated, have good nutrition, be a postgraduate, find a hospital if unwell and live a little longer.

If this child is a girl, her life will not be much different from a boy's. She is less likely to be employed in agriculture and will marry later than her north Indian counterpart. She will have fewer but healthier and more educated children.

After years of reasonably good healthcare, rising literacy and infant survival rates, 10 states, including southern India's big five, virtually form a country distinct from the populous northern, central and eastern states.

The fertility rate in four of the five southern states matches that of Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands and Norway - between 1.7 and 1.8 children per woman. In contrast, women in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya and Jharkhand have 2.3 to three children each.

More educated and politically empowered women and well-executed family planning schemes in the southern states have meant that families in those places have fewer children.