SUMMARY

India’s Fertility Rate Falls Below Replacement Level as the total Fertility Rate (TFR) is now at 1.9 which below the replacement threshold of 2.1 births per woman. India’s population has reached 1.46 billion; projected to peak at 1.7 billion before decline begins in about 40 years 

WHAT IS TFR? CLICK HERE TO KNOW

Fertility ‘Not by Choice, but by Constraint’
 

The UNFPA report emphasizes that this is a crisis of choice: many want more children but are unable due to circumstances. In India, roughly:

• 38–40% cite financial constraints,
• 21% cite job insecurity,
• 19–22% cite housing limitations,
• 18% cite lack of childcare support 

Divergent Fertility Patterns Across India

Fertility remains high in rural areas and in states like Bihar, UP, poorer regions due to limited services and gender norms. Conversely, urban and educated middle‑class, particularly in Delhi, Kerala, TN, see significantly lower fertility — driven by costs, career priorities, and lifestyle choices 

 

Policy Insights

UNFPA advocates shifting focus from panic to reproductive agency, emphasizing:

• Affordable housing and childcare,
• Secure employment,
• Family-friendly policies,
• Access to fertility care and reproductive health services 

This includes removing structural barriers so people can have as many children as they truly desire — rather than restricting or pushing fertility goals 

India is at a pivotal demographic stage: while TFR has declined to 1.9—a potential macroeconomic advantage—the underlying challenge lies in ensuring that individuals can freely choose their fertility, without being forced by economic, housing, job, or social constraints.

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