In December 2024, the Indian government proudly announced that India had achieved a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.0as per NFHS-5 (2019&ndash;21), aligning with the National Population Policy 2000 and the National Health Policy 2017 target of 2.1. Barely months later, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) delivered sobering news: India&rsquo;s fertility rate had fallen further, reaching 1.9 births per woman, slipping below replacement level.
For a nation that just surpassed China to become the world&rsquo;s most populous country with 1.46 billion people, the prospect of a declining birth rate may sound like a paradoxical relief. But beneath the surface lies a troubling truth &mdash; this demographic shift carries the potential of becoming India&rsquo;s most serious social and economic challenge in decades.
<h3 data-start="1132" data-end="1170">The Story Behind the Decline</h3>
India&rsquo;s fertility has been on a downward slide for over half a century. In 1960, women bore an average of five children. By 2015, the number had dropped to 2.45, and now it stands at 1.9. The &ldquo;small family norm,&rdquo; once pushed as a slogan of modernity, has become deeply embedded not just in India&rsquo;s cities but also in the villages &mdash; the very bastion of population resilience.
Several factors fuel this decline:
<ul data-start="1598" data-end="2075">
<li data-start="1598" data-end="1712">
Rising female literacy and workforce participation have empowered women to delay or reconsider motherhood.
</li>
<li data-start="1713" data-end="1850">
Urbanisation and economic pressures, where the cost of education, housing, and healthcare makes large families nearly impossible.
</li>
<li data-start="1851" data-end="1988">
Changing social attitudes towards marriage, with late marriages, fewer children, or voluntary childlessness becoming more common.
</li>
<li data-start="1989" data-end="2075">
Health realities, including rising infertility rates among both men and women.
</li>
</ul>
<h3 data-start="2077" data-end="2107">Regional Fault Lines</h3>
The demographic transition is uneven. Southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu achieved replacement fertility years ago, while parts of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh still record higher rates. Yet, the southern pattern is fast spreading northwards. Disturbingly, in states like Goa and Uttarakhand, schools have already shut doors due to falling enrolments &mdash; a silent signal of what may lie ahead for the nation.
<h3 data-start="2548" data-end="2573">What Lies Ahead</h3>
A TFR below replacement means that over time, India will struggle to replace its working-age population. The famed demographic dividend &mdash; that powerful surge of youth who powered growth &mdash; could quickly flip into a demographic burden, with fewer workers supporting an expanding elderly population. This strain will hit pensions, healthcare systems, and public finances.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently argued that &ldquo;communities whose birth rate falls below three go extinct,&rdquo; calling for every Indian family to have three children. His warning may sound alarmist, but demographers agree that fertility collapse can weaken communities and economies alike. The question is not whether India&rsquo;s population will peak &mdash; it will, at around 1.7 billion in four decades &mdash; but whether the nation is prepared for the sharp ageing that follows.
<h3 data-start="3438" data-end="3483">Remedies for a Declining Birth Rate</h3>
India&rsquo;s policymakers must act urgently, not with panic, but with foresight:
<ol data-start="3563" data-end="4500">
<li data-start="3563" data-end="3736">
Family-Friendly Incentives Offer tax breaks, childcare subsidies, and enhanced maternity/paternity benefits to reduce the economic burden of child-rearing.
</li>
<li data-start="3738" data-end="3929">
Work-Life Balance Policies Introduce flexible working hours, remote options, and stronger parental leave, enabling parents to pursue careers without sacrificing family life.
</li>
<li data-start="3931" data-end="4099">
Healthcare Reforms Address rising infertility rates with affordable fertility treatments, reproductive health awareness, and preventive interventions.
</li>
<li data-start="4101" data-end="4300">
Education and Employment Alignment Invest in job creation and skills training to channel India&rsquo;s vast youth base into productive opportunities before the demographic dividend fades.
</li>
<li data-start="4302" data-end="4500">
Cultural Awareness Campaigns Promote the idea that having children is not only a personal choice but a national responsibility, without coercion, but through awareness and support.
</li>
</ol>
<h3 data-start="4502" data-end="4527">The Bottom Line</h3>
India has long celebrated its population as both a challenge and a strength. Today, the equation has changed. A birth rate in decline is not just about fewer children &mdash; it is about the kind of nation India will become in 2050. Will it be an economy that harnessed its youthful potential, or a greying society caught unprepared?
The numbers do not lie. The urgency cannot be ignored.

Graphic indicating dropping birth rate in India

Declining fertility rate signals demographic risk; urgent remedies needed now

India’s Birth Crisis: A Silent National Emergency

Declining fertility rate signals demographic risk; urgent remedies needed now

September 5, 2025 | 15:13 IST