Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India

The IMR is a crucial indicator of child health, reflecting the number of deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births.

Overall Progress

• Reduction of IMR: India has seen a significant drop in its IMR, decreasing by over 37% from 40 deaths per 1,000 births in 2013 to 25 in 2023.
• Comparison with Global and Asian Averages:
  • India's IMR fell below the world average around 2021.
  • Despite faster progress, India's IMR (25) is still above the Asian average of 17.4.

State-wise Performance

• Significant Improvements:
  • Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka achieved more than 50% reduction from the average IMRs of the 2011-13 period to the 2021-23 period.
  • Jammu and Kashmir, and Andhra Pradesh show steep declines, but comparisons are complicated due to administrative changes.
• Top Performers:
  • Kerala has the lowest IMR among major states, with a rate of 5 per 1,000, similar to developed countries.
  • Smaller states like Manipur, Sikkim, and Goa, along with nearly all Union Territories, have single-digit IMRs.
• States with High IMR:
  • Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh have the highest IMRs at 37 each.
  • Odisha and Assam follow with an IMR of 30 each.

Gender Discrepancy

• Kerala's Gender Difference: Kerala shows a significant disparity between male and female infant mortality rates, with boys having an IMR of 9 and girls 2.