Sex Composition is one of the most basic demographic characteristics of the human population, which is critical for any meaningful demographic analysis. Changes in sex composition reflect the underlying socioeconomic and cultural pattern of society in different ways. It is a crucial social indicator for determining the level of equity between males and females at any given time. This article will explain to you about Sex Composition which will be helpful in preparing for Geography for the UPSC Civil service exam.

What exactly is Sex Composition?

• The sex ratio is a ratio that is used to express the sex composition.
• In India, the sex ratio is defined as "the number of females in the population per 1,000 males."
• The following is how it is expressed

• As a result, a sex ratio of 1,000 denotes complete gender equality. Females outnumber males by a factor of 1,000, while males outnumber females by a factor of 1,000.
• The interplay of sex differentials in mortality, sex-selective migration, the sex ratio at birth, and at times the sex differential in population enumeration results in a country's sex ratios.
• According to revised census figures from 2001, there are 532 million males and 496 million females out of a total population of 1,028 million.

Types

• The sex ratio of most species varies depending on the population's age.
• It is divided into four sections:
  • Primary sex ratio (ratio at fertilization)
  • Secondary sex ratio (ratio at birth)
  • Tertiary sex ratio (ratio in sexually mature organisms)
  • Quaternary sex ratio (ratio in post-reproductive organisms)
• Due to the lack of clear boundaries, these definitions can be subjective.

Factors Influencing Sex Ratio

The general factors that influence the sex ratio of a nation are as follows

• Biological Factors
• Social Taboos
• Women’s Educational Level
• Female Foeticide
• Female Infanticide
• Status of women
• Migration

Sex Ratio in India

• According to the 2011 census, India's sex ratio is 943.
• That is, for every 1000 males, there are 943 females.
• A skewed sex ratio that favors men is a dangerous sign because it indicates a higher rate of female fetal mortality.
• This is a particular issue in states where parents actively select their children's sex and girls are killed before they are born.
• Haryana has India's lowest sex ratio, with 879 girls for every 1000 boys.
• Declining sex ratios pose a threat to the country's future female population.

State Wise Distribution

• From 1951 to 2011, the sex ratio in rural India fell from 965 to 946, while it rose from 860 to 929 in urban India.
• The sex ratio in India has decreased from 946 in 1951 to 943 in 2011.
• During this time, 19 states/UTs have seen a significant increase in the male-to-female ratio.
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands (40.16 %), Delhi (13.02 %), Assam (10.34 %), and West Bengal (10.34 %) have all seen significant increases (9.82 % ). In contrast, 16 states/UTs have seen a significant drop in the gender ratio.
• Daman & Diu (45.03 %), Dadra & Nagar Haveli (18.19 %), Goa (13.71 %), Lakshadweep (9.25 %), and Bihar have all seen a significant drop in the sex ratio (8.21 % )

• The following conclusion can be drawn from the above graph of India's sex ratio by state:
• The lowest sex ratio in India is in Haryana, where it is only 879, while the highest is in Kerala (1084)
• When it comes to the sex ratio in the union territories, Puducherry has the highest at 1037, while Daman and Diu have the lowest at 618.
• The five Union Territories of India, namely the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Chandigarh, Dadra, Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu, are in the bottom five.
• The only two union territories with a sex ratio of more than 900 females per thousand males are Puducherry and Lakshadweep.
• In 2011, the sex ratios for the age groups 0-6, 0-19, 15-45, and 60+ were 918, 908, 944, and 1033, respectively.

Factors Responsible for Declining Sex Ratio

• There are numerous factors that have contributed to India's declining sex ratio. The following are a few of them:
  • Sex-Selective Abortion
  • Neglect from birth or as a child
  • Cultural Favour of a male child
  • Law Implementation Failure
• The law in question is the Prenatal Conception and Prenatal Determination Act (PC-PNDT), which prohibits and punishes healthcare providers from informing parents about their child's gender.
• It is because of this that some people choose to have abortions if the fetus is female.
• This is supported by studies that show that prenatal sex determination is the primary cause of India's dismal gender ratio.
• The PC-PNDT is a toothless tiger because of poor training and exploiting loopholes.
• Despite the widespread abuse of law and technology, society has its own prejudices when it comes to the female child.
• A segment of the population believes that having a male child will increase wealth, extend the bloodline, and help parents in their old age.
• As a result, the male child has always been preferred. The prevalence of the dowry custom can be attributed to economic reasons.
• Its practice is feared by most parents of female children who, under societal pressure, are financially burdened and, at times, resort to drastic measures, if not outright resentment, toward their daughters.

Child Sex Ratio

• The Child Sex Ratio is the number of females per 1000 males in the 0–6-year-old age group.
• India's child sex ratio was 927 in the 2001 census, but it dropped to 918 in 2011.
• According to the 2011 census, Arunachal Pradesh has the highest child sex ratio (972 per thousand males) among Indian states, while Haryana has the lowest child sex ratio (834 per thousand males).
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands have the highest child sex ratio among India's Union Territories, at 968 per thousand males.
• For any demographic situation, the current child sex ratio is critical because it will determine the overall sex ratio in the coming years.

Factors Responsible for Declining Child Sex Ratio

• The following are some of the reasons for girl child neglect and a low child sex ratio:
  • The belief that only the son can perform the last rites, that lineage and inheritance run through the male line, that sons will look after their parents in old age, that men are the breadwinners, and so on.
  • Another reason for female foeticide/infanticide is the excessive dowry demand.
  • Small family norms, combined with easy access to sex determination tests, may be a catalyst for the declining child sex ratio, which is aided by the widespread availability of pre-conception sex selection services.

Consequences of Low Sex Ratio

• Due to a scarcity of women, violence against them has increased dramatically.
• This has resulted in a situation where, aside from the ingrained son preference, people are less interested in girls because they believe it is more difficult to keep them safe.
• Fear of violence, according to a study conducted by Haryana's Centre for Social Research, is a factor in female foeticide.
• It will have a variety of effects on marriage patterns.
• Since there are fewer women of marriageable age, a significant number of men will have to postpone their marriage.
• In democratic regimes, women's lower demographic share would imply a weaker political voice in public decision-making, a trend that could be exacerbated by women's lower participation in non-domestic activities such as outside employment and civil life.

Steps Taken For India’s Sex Ratio Decline

• The government launched initiatives such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and the Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme to address the declining sex ratio in some Indian states.
• The initiative raised awareness about the value of the girl child and the importance of empowering her through education.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development, as well as the Ministry of Education, made the following recommendations.
• Making education more affordable and accessible while also improving economic conditions is a win-win situation.
• Women's safety cells, gender sensitization campaigns, and other initiatives to ensure women's safety on public transportation.
• Reaching out to young people could help to mitigate the effects of population momentum and speed up progress toward a more balanced gender ratio at birth.

Significance

• The analysis of other population attributes is dependent on the sex composition of the population.
• Sex Composition is a crucial component in the development of economic policies.
• It's critical for social service provision planning.
• It enables researchers and planners to examine socio-economic phenomena in their various forms.
• Health administrators and demographers can use sex composition to help plan and implement various developmental and health programs.
• They aid in the analysis of various goods and service production and consumption patterns.
• Fertility, Mortality, and Migration determine the population's age and gender structure.
• The sex ratio is heavily influenced by the status of women in society.

Way Forward

Behavioural Change

• Improving the ratio requires more female education and economic prosperity.
• The government's Beti-Bachao Beti Padhao campaign has been a huge success in bringing about behavioral change in society.

Sensitising Youth

• Reaching out to young people for reproductive health education and services, as well as cultivating gender equity norms, is critical.
• Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) services can be used for this, especially in rural areas.

Stringent Enforcement of Law

• India needs to strengthen the Preconception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act of 1994 and devote more resources to combating the preference for boys.
• The decision of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board to include ultrasound machines in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 is significant in this regard.

Conclusion

Despite the policies and initiatives aimed at improving the girl child's situation, the underlying issues persist. Discrimination based on socioeconomic status, as well as the evil, practices of female infanticide and foeticide, continue to exist. It is therefore critical to focus on improving existing policies, laws, and programs in order to ensure the survival of girl children and to close the gender gap in healthcare access.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which of the following states has the highest sex ratio in India?

A) Haryana
B) Punjab
C) Kerala
D) Uttar Pradesh

2. What does the sex ratio indicate in demographic terms?

A) The number of males per 1,000 females
B) The number of females per 1,000 males
C) The total population divided by gender
D) The number of children per household

3. Which of the following factors primarily influences the skewed sex ratio in some Indian states?

A) Migration
B) Female foeticide and infanticide
C) Urbanization
D) Economic development

4. Which government program aims to address the declining sex ratio in India?

A) Make in India
B) Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
C) Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
D) Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

5. Which of the following is a characteristic of rural areas in India with regard to the sex ratio?

A) Higher male population
B) Higher female population
C) Equal male and female population
D) Lower migration rates

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the factors contributing to the skewed sex ratio in India and suggest measures to improve it.

Answer: The skewed sex ratio in India is influenced by several socio-cultural and economic factors. Practices such as female foeticide, infanticide, and gender discrimination favor male children over female children in many parts of the country. The preference for sons is often linked to cultural beliefs about lineage, inheritance, and financial support. Additionally, migration patterns, especially to urban areas, have contributed to the skewed sex ratio. To improve the sex ratio, the government must focus on empowering women through education and economic opportunities, enforcing strict laws against female foeticide, and raising awareness about the importance of gender equality through campaigns like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.

Q2: Analyze the impact of migration on the sex composition of urban and rural areas in India.

Answer: Migration has a significant impact on the sex composition of both urban and rural areas in India. Rural-to-urban migration is predominantly male-driven, as men move to cities in search of employment. This migration pattern results in a higher proportion of males in urban areas, while rural areas often see a higher proportion of females, particularly in states with low economic opportunities. This skewed sex composition affects not only the social structure of these regions but also has economic implications, such as labor shortages in rural areas. Government policies aimed at creating job opportunities in rural areas could help balance the sex ratio by reducing migration rates.

Q3: How does the declining sex ratio affect India’s social and economic development?

Answer: The declining sex ratio in India poses significant challenges to the country’s social and economic development. Gender imbalances lead to the marginalization of women, limiting their access to education, healthcare, and employment. This imbalance can also contribute to increased gender-based violence, trafficking, and exploitation of women. Economically, the low participation of women in the workforce reduces productivity and hinders growth. To address these issues, India must focus on improving gender equality, enhancing opportunities for women, and promoting policies that encourage female participation in social and economic activities.

Previous Year Questions on Sex Composition

1. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 1)

Question: Discuss the causes and consequences of the skewed sex ratio in India.

Answer: The skewed sex ratio in India is caused by factors such as gender discrimination, female foeticide, and infanticide. Cultural norms that prioritize male children for inheritance and family lineage contribute to this imbalance. The consequences of a skewed sex ratio include increased violence against women, trafficking, and social instability. Additionally, it has long-term impacts on marriage patterns, with fewer women available for marriage, leading to societal challenges. To correct the imbalance, there must be a concerted effort to change societal attitudes towards girls, improve education, and enforce legal measures against gender discrimination.

2. UPSC CSE Prelims 2018

Question: Which of the following initiatives is aimed at improving the sex ratio in India?

A) Ayushman Bharat
B) Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
C) Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
D) Jan Dhan Yojana

Answer: C

Explanation: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a government initiative aimed at improving the sex ratio in India by promoting the education and empowerment of girls and combating gender discrimination.