Odisha's Sex Ratio, Drops to 933 as per Latest CRS Report

Odisha Records Worrying Decline in Sex Ratio at Birth

Odisha is grappling with a significant and concerning decline in its sex ratio at birth, which fell to 933 females per 1,000 males in 2021, according to the recently released Civil Registration System (CRS) report by the Ministry of Home Affairs. This represents a substantial drop from the 979 recorded in 2011-12, positioning the state among the bottom ten in India for this critical demographic indicator and indicating growing gender disparities.

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Declining Numbers

The latest data reveals a troubling trend for Odisha. While the sex ratio at birth was 979 in 2011-12, it fluctuated downwards to 930 in 2017, saw a slight recovery to 947 in 2019, before declining again to the current figure of 933 in 2021. It places Odisha amongst states with low sex ratios, with Assam recording the lowest at 863, while states like Arunachal Pradesh (997) report much healthier figures. The CRS data is considered highly authentic as it is based on registered births, accounting for registration delays.

Social Norms and Shifting Family Sizes are main concern

Experts attribute this sharp decline to a combination of deeply entrenched patriarchal norms, a persistent preference for sons, and the increasing adoption of a single-child norm by families. Senior gynaecologist Dr. GSS Mohapatra noted that while the implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act has drastically reduced female foeticide, the underlying societal mindset favoring male children has not changed significantly. He added that many families now opt not to have a second child if their firstborn is a son. Field-level health workers also point to patchy enforcement of the PCPNDT Act and ongoing discrimination in access to nutrition and healthcare for girl children as contributing factors.

The state government has acknowledged the issue. Director of Family Welfare, Dr. Sanjukta Sahoo, mentioned that the decline in total births is also linked to the one-child norm. She stated the government is addressing the imbalance through awareness campaigns on the importance of the girl child, frequent inspections of diagnostic centres to prevent sex determination, and alerting district collectors. Recently, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also expressed concern over the declining sex ratio and assured that efforts would be made to increase access to quality education and economic opportunities for girls to empower them and reduce son preference.

Odisha's declining sex ratio at birth is a serious concern, reflecting deep-seated societal biases that persist despite legal frameworks and welfare schemes. Addressing this alarming trend will require sustained, multi-pronged strategies focusing on robust enforcement of laws, continuous public awareness, and tangible empowerment of girls through education and economic opportunities.