TN sex ratio data skewed by need for passports

Tamil Nadu reported a very low sex ratio of 840 in 2016, according to civil registration system data. But that same number goes up to 932 if you consider only the actual births that happened in that particular year, say National Health Mission officials. What does this mean? This discrepancy may be attributed to a substantial number of adults registering their births every year in order to get passports made, according to a Times of India report.

The report says that males make up a large majority of adults registering their births each year. Including the number of registrations done after the first year in total birth registrations in a year is reducing the sex ratio of births in the civil registration system and delivering a incorrect statistic.

According to official state data, the actual sex ratio at birth fell from 923 in 2012-13 and has risen from 2016 onwards. If you only look at births registered within a year, the number goes from 918 in 2015 to a healthy 932 in 2016 and 2017.

Tamil Nadu’s sex ratio at birth is expected to touch 950 by 2021, according to a National Health Mission official.