India : Population (Demography) Part-VII

Total Questions: 47

1. What does infant mortality rate refer to? [B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2015]

Correct Answer: (b) The ratio of number of children who die before their first birthday out of every 1000 live births
Solution:Infant Mortality Rate or IMR is the number of deaths of children under 1 year of age per one thousand live births while replacement Rate is the total fertility rate at which women give birth to enough infants in order to maintain the population levels.

1. AS per Census 2011 The infant mortality rate, which plays an important role in health planning, has shown a considerable decline from 129 per 1000 live births in 1971 to 110 in 1981 and from 80 in 1991 to 44 in 2011. The child mortality rate has depicted a perceptible decline from 51.9 in 1971 to 41.2 in 1981 and from 20.5 in 1991 to 12.2 in 2011.

2. Also, World Bank has indicated 28.3 as infant Mortality Rate of india for 2019

3. According to the latest sample registration system Bulletin, Infant Mortality Rote in Kerala-7 (updated)

4. Infant Mortality Rate in Madhya Pradesh-48 (updated)

5. in India, Nagaland has the best Infant Mortality Rate which is at 4

6. As per RBL the Infant Mortality Rate of the National Capital Delhi is 13.

7. The infant mortality rate among females is higher than among males in all indian states except

∗ Chhattisgarh
∗ Delhi
∗ Madhya Pradesh
∗ Tamil Nadu
∗ Uttarakhand

2. Consider the following statements about infant mortality rate: [B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2023]

1. It is the probability of dying between birth and exactly 1 year of age, expressed per 10000 live births.

2. The infant mortality rate in the year 1950 was 189.6.

3. In the year 2019, the infant mortaility rate was 30.

4. As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) Bulletin of Registrar General of India (RGI), the State with the highest infant mortality rate in the year 2019 was Uttar Pradesh.

Which of the above statements are correct?

Correct Answer: (c) 2 and 3
Solution:Infant mortality rate is the probability of dying between birth and exactly 1 year of age, expressed per 1000 (not 10000) live births. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.

The infant mortality rate in India (as per the World Bank data) in the year 1950 was 189.6. Hence, statement 2 is correct. BPSC has also accepted this statement correct in its final answer key. However, as per the data of Central Bureau of Health Intelligence, Government of India, average infant mortality rate during the period 1946-1950 was 134, while it was at 146 during the period 1951-1961.

As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) Bulletins, the infant mortality rate in India was 30 in 2019, while it was at 28 in 2020. Hence, statement 3 is correct. As per the SRS bulletins, the State with the highest infant mortality rate in 2019 was Madhya Pradesh (46), while in 2020 it was again highest in Madhya Pradesh (43). Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.

3. Under the Civil Registration System (CRS), it is legally mandatory to register birth and death events within how many days in India? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2019]

Correct Answer: (b) 21 days
Solution:Post-independence, the Registration of Births and Deaths Act (RBD Act) was enacted in 1969 to promote uniformity and comparability in the registration of births and deaths across the country and compilation of vital statistics based thereon. In India it is mandatory under the aforesaid Act to register every birth/still birth and death with the concerned State/UT Government within 21 days of its occurrence. Reporting of birth/death for registration after 21 days of occurrence comes under the category of delayed registration.

4. Which of the following States has started the death Census? [U.P.U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (a) Karnataka
Solution:Karnataka was the first State in India, which started the death census.

A death census refers to the process of recording and collecting data about deaths within a specific population. This information is crucial for understanding demographic trends, public health, and mortality rates, and is often a component of vital statistics systems, In India, the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, mandates the registration of births and deaths, and the Registrar General & Census Commissioner plays a key role in this process.

Analyzing causes of death helps identify public health challenges and allows for targeted interventions. Death certificates are needed for burial permits, inheritance matters, and other legal procedures. Data on deatha, combined with birth data, provides a comprehensive picture of population dynamics.

5. Infant mortality rate in India at present is nearly: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2000]

Correct Answer: (c) 70 per thousand
Solution:As per the question period option (c) was the correct answer. According to the latest (May, 2022) available data of the Sample Registration System (SRS), India's infant mortality rate (IMR) has decreased to 28 per thousand live births in the year 2020 from 30 in the year 2019.

Infant Mortality Rate or IMR is the number of deaths of children under 1 year of age per one thousand live births while replacement Rate is the total fertility rate at which women give birth to enough infants in order to maintain the population levels.

1. AS per Census 2011 The infant mortality rate, which plays an important role in health planning, has shown a considerable decline from 129 per 1000 live births in 1971 to 110 in 1981 and from 80 in 1991 to 44 in 2011. The child mortality rate has depicted a perceptible decline from 51.9 in 1971 to 41.2 in 1981 and from 20.5 in 1991 to 12.2 in 2011.

2. Also, World Bank has indicated 28.3 as infant Mortality Rate of india for 2019
3. According to the latest sample registration system Bulletin, Infant Mortality Rote in Kerala-7 (updated)
4. Infant Mortality Rate in Madhya Pradesh-48 (updated)
5. in India, Nagaland has the best Infant Mortality Rate which is at 4
6. As per RBL the Infant Mortality Rate of the National Capital Delhi is 13.
7. The infant mortality rate among females is higher than among males in all indian states except
∗ Chhattisgarh
∗ Delhi
∗ Madhya Pradesh
∗ Tamil Nadu
∗ Uttarakhand

6. According to the Census 2011, which of the following States had the lowest infant mortality rate? [U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2015]

Correct Answer: (c) Kerala
Solution:As per Census 2011, Infant Mortality Rate in India was 44 per thousand live births. The lowest infant mortality rate was in Goa and Manipur (11 each) among the States, while Kerala's infant mortality rate was recorded 12 per thousand live births. The States with the highest infant mortality rate were Madhya Pradesh (59), Uttar Pradesh (57) and Odisha (57).

As per SRS bulletin released in May 2022, India's infant mortality rate is 28 per thousand live births in the year 2020. The highest infant mortality is recorded in Madhya Pradesh (43). While, the lowest infant mortality rate is recorded in Mizoram (3). Infant mortality rate in the given States are:

StateInfant Mortality Rate (2020)
Tamil Nadu13
Punjab18
Kerala6
Karnataka19

7. According to the 2001 Census, which State of India has the lowest child mortality rate? [U.P.R.O./A.R.O. (Mains) 2014]

Correct Answer: (b) Kerala
Solution:As per Census 2001, the child mortality rate in Kerala was 16 per thousand, while the child mortality rates in Goa, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu were 36, 49 and 53 per thou- sand respectively. According to the Census 2001, Infants mortality rate in India was 71 per thousand.

As per Census 2011, the infant mortality rate was 44 per thousand live births in the country. The States with the lowest infant mortality in the country were Goa and Manipur (11 per thousand in each State). The State with the highest infant mortality rate was Madhya Pradesh (59 per thousand). After this, infant mortality was highest in Uttar Pradesh and Odisha (57 per thou- sand each).

8. The lowest infant mortality in urban areas of India is found in: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2005]

Correct Answer: (a) Kerala
Solution:As per the question period, Kerala had the lowest infant mortality rate in urban areas among the given options. As per May, 2022 SRS data, Urban Infant Mortality Rate in Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are 9, 11, 10 and 17 per thousand live births, respectively.

Infant Mortality Rate or IMR is the number of deaths of children under 1 year of age per one thousand live births while replacement Rate is the total fertility rate at which women give birth to enough infants in order to maintain the population levels.

1. AS per Census 2011 The infant mortality rate, which plays an important role in health planning, has shown a considerable decline from 129 per 1000 live births in 1971 to 110 in 1981 and from 80 in 1991 to 44 in 2011. The child mortality rate has depicted a perceptible decline from 51.9 in 1971 to 41.2 in 1981 and from 20.5 in 1991 to 12.2 in 2011.

2. Also, World Bank has indicated 28.3 as infant Mortality Rate of india for 2019

3. According to the latest sample registration system Bulletin, Infant Mortality Rote in Kerala-7 (updated)

4. Infant Mortality Rate in Madhya Pradesh-48 (updated)

5. in India, Nagaland has the best Infant Mortality Rate which is at 4

6. As per RBL the Infant Mortality Rate of the National Capital Delhi is 13.

7. The infant mortality rate among females is higher than among males in all indian states except

∗ Chhattisgarh
∗ Delhi
∗ Madhya Pradesh
∗ Tamil Nadu
∗ Uttarakhand

9. Which of the following States had less Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) than All India Average IMR in 2011? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2013]

Correct Answer: (a) Tamil Nadu
Solution:As per data of 2016 and 2020, the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) per thousand live births in the given States are as follows:
State IMR2016IMR 2020 
 Tamil Nadu1713
 Rajasthan4132
 Uttar Pradesh4338
Madhya Pradesh4743
All India3428

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

10. The target to reduce Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) during Eleventh Plan period was kept at: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2017]

Correct Answer: (b) 28 per 1000 live births
Solution:The target to reduce Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) during 11th Five-Year Plan period (2007-2012) was kept at 28 per 1000 live births by 2012. The 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) had a target to reduce IMR to 25 per 1000 live births. As per SRS data released in May 2022, the IMR is still at the level of 28 per 1000 live births in 2020, which shows that we have failed to achieve the above mentioned Plan targets.

However, in the last ten years, IMR has witnessed a decline of about 40.4% at all India level. IMR at all India level has declined from 47 to 28 in the last decade (2010-2020). The corresponding decline in rural areas is 51 to 31, and for urban areas it is from 31 to 19.