Census 2011 and Child Sex Ratios in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Provisional estimates based on Census 2011 show that the sex ratio in the age group 0 to 6 in India continued to decline, from 927 in 2001 to 914 in 2011. Contrary to the national trend, the 0-6 sex ratio for Tamil Nadu has registered an increase for the first time since 1961, increasing from 942 in 2001 to 946 in 2011. On the basis of an analysis of district-level data and geographic prevalence of interventions, the paper shows that the increase in 0-6 sex ratios comes from districts where government and NGO efforts were concentrated to tackle daughter elimination.

Keywords: Daughter Elimination, 0-6 sex ratio, India, Tamil Nadu, Interventions

JEL Classification: J12, J15, J16