Declining Fertility In India: Is India Dealing With Population Crisis?

Is India heading towards a demographic crisis? RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat have sparked debates by urging families to have more children. With India’s fertility rate declining steadily from 6.18 in 1950 to a projected 1.29 by 2050 can we sustain our demographic advantage, or are we on the brink of a population crunch? India’s fertility rate, once among the highest globally, is plummeting. With a projected rate of 1.29 by 2050—far below the replacement level of 2.1, India faces the risk of losing its demographic advantage. This decline is mirrored globally, with South Korea reaching an unprecedented low fertility rate of 0.72. But what does this mean for a nation like India, which has relied on its young population for economic growth? There are some challenged by Indians like, Rising inflation, high living costs, and economic uncertainty make parenthood financially challenging. Many families are finding it difficult to balance the costs of raising children with the demands of an increasingly expensive society. Gender roles in India have traditionally placed much of the responsibility for child-rearing on women. As more women enter the workforce and seek education and career advancement, they are delaying marriage and childbirth, further contributing to the fertility decline. Delayed Marriages & Changing Priorities as people delay marriage and have children later in life, fertility rates naturally fall. The rise in single-person households and changing attitudes towards family structure and work-life balance are also contributing factors. Rising levels of infertility driven by lifestyle factors, stress, and environmental influences are making it harder for couples to have children, exacerbating the fertility decline.