Hyderabad: Telangana’s worsening gender imbalance at birth has come under sharp focus, with 14 of the state’s 33 districts recording fewer than 900 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2024. At the centre of the crisis is Nalgonda, which posted a sex ratio at birth (SRB) of just 787 girls per 1,000 boys — the lowest in Telangana and among the worst in the country.The latest Civil Registration System (CRS) data paints a troubling picture for a district that has long struggled with skewed birth ratios and shown little improvement despite years of concern over the declining number of girl children.In contrast, Kamareddy emerged as the state’s best performing district, recording 1,060 girls for every 1,000 boys — the only district in Telangana where girl births outnumbered boy births.The figures are unlikely to have been significantly distorted by delayed registrations. Of the nearly 7.7 lakh births recorded in Telangana in 2024, only about 11,000 were registered more than a year after birth.Apart from Nalgonda, several districts also reported alarmingly low birth ratios. Mahabubabad recorded an SRB of 805, followed by Nagarkurnool (842), Wanaparthy (848), Warangal (849), Yadadri Bhuvanagiri (851), Rajanna Sircilla (863), Mahbubnagar (864), Suryapet (867), Jogulamba Gadwal (869), Karimnagar (871), Rangareddy (875), Khammam (877) and Medchal Malkajgiri (880).On the other hand, Kamareddy was followed by Mulugu (991), Siddipet (951), Hyderabad (945), Vikarabad (934) and Narayanpet (925). Peddapalli (922), Nizamabad (920) and Jangaon (919) also performed better than the state average of 910.Nalgonda’s performance is particularly striking because the district has historically fared relatively well on broader demographic indicators. Census data showed its overall sex ratio improved from 966 females per 1,000 males in 2001 to 983 in 2011. However, the child sex ratio had already fallen to 923 in 2011, signalling a growing imbalance among younger age groups.The latest numbers have revived memories of the district’s troubling past. In 2017, a survey by Rakshita, a committee formed to protect girl children, identified 14 cases of female infanticide in Nalgonda over a four-year period. The survey found that 10 of those cases involved concealment of girl child births and secret disposal of the bodies.A study by a top medical institute among adolescents in rural Nalgonda also highlighted deep-rooted social preferences for sons. Respondents cited reasons such as carrying forward the family name, providing financial support in old age and the perception that daughters impose an economic burden because of dowry.Experts caution that data from a single year can be influenced by registration patterns, but persistently skewed SRBs are often linked to son preference, smaller family sizes and access to prenatal sex selection technologies.“Districts reporting unusually low ratios are likely to come under greater scrutiny, with calls for stricter enforcement of the PCPNDT (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act and closer monitoring of ultrasound centres,” said Sabu Mathew George, an activist.Demographers regard the sex ratio at birth as one of the most sensitive indicators of gender equity. With Telangana recording nearly 7.7 lakh births in 2024, the sharp disparities across districts are likely to reignite concerns over the effectiveness of efforts to protect the girl child and correct the state’s gender imbalance.Demographers consider SRB a crucial indicator of gender equity and social attitudes towards the girl child. With Telangana recording nearly 7.7 lakh births in 2024, the sharp variations across districts are likely to renew concerns over the effectiveness of measures aimed at correcting the state’s gender imbalance.
