SSC · Railway
Which state had the highest sex ratio as per Census 2011?
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Answer: Option C — Kerala
Detailed Solution
Sex ratio, in India, is defined as the number of females per 1,000 males in the population. According to Census 2011, India's overall sex ratio was 943 females per 1,000 males, an improvement from 933 in 2001.
Kerala had the highest sex ratio among states, with 1,084 females per 1,000 males. It is the only state where females outnumber males. Kerala's high sex ratio is linked to its high literacy rate, especially among women, good health services, lower maternal and infant mortality, the matrilineal traditions of some communities and a relatively high social status of women. Male out-migration to the Gulf countries and elsewhere also contributes.
Among Union Territories, Puducherry had the highest sex ratio (1,037).
States and UTs with the lowest sex ratios (Census 2011):
- Haryana: 879, the lowest among states.
- Jammu and Kashmir: 889.
- Sikkim: 890.
- Punjab: 895.
- Among Union Territories, Daman and Diu had the lowest sex ratio (618), and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (774); these are due to large numbers of male migrant workers.
The child sex ratio (0-6 years) was 919 girls per 1,000 boys in 2011, the lowest since Independence. This decline was a cause for concern, linked to the preference for sons and sex-selective abortion. To address this, the government launched the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme in January 2015 at Panipat, Haryana, and strictly enforces the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994.
According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5, 2019-21), India's overall sex ratio was 1,020 females per 1,000 males, the first time in such a survey that women outnumbered men, though this is a household survey, not a census.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Tamil Nadu had a sex ratio of 996.
- ✗Haryana had the lowest sex ratio among states (879).
- ✗Andhra Pradesh had a sex ratio of 993.
Quick tip
Remember: Census 2011 sex ratio = India 943; highest Kerala (1,084), UT Puducherry (1,037); lowest Haryana (879), UT Daman and Diu (618); child sex ratio 919; Beti Bachao Beti Padhao = 2015.
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Population & Census — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Population & Census, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's population and the Census: population size and growth, density, sex ratio, literacy rate, urbanisation, and the most and least populous states, based on the Census of 2011, along with the basics of world population. Questions usually ask which state has the highest or lowest population, density, sex ratio or literacy, based on Census 2011. For example, Kerala had the highest literacy rate and sex ratio, and Bihar had the highest population density. The Census is conducted every ten years, so check whether newer data has been released before your exam. Practise the population and census questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.