The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, released the fourth issue of the publication titled “Children in India 2025” during the 29^th Conference of Central and State Statistical Organizations (CoCSSO) on 25^th September, 2025 in Chandigarh.

 

Key highlights of the publication   Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has shown decreasing trend, which was 44 in 2011 and has decreased to 25 in 2023. Dropout Rate has decreased from 13.8 in 2022-23 to 8.2 in 2024-25. The percentage of women aged 20-24 years who had married before the of age 18 years has reduced from 26.8 in 2015-16 to 23.3 in 2019-21. The total number of children adopted has increased from 3927 in 2017-18 to 4515 in 2024-25.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been releasing an ad-hoc publication titled "Children in India" since 2008. The “Children in India 2025” is the fourth such publication on the status of children in India. The publication provides a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the well-being of children in the country. By examining various dimensions such as education, health, nutrition, child protection, etc., the publication offers valuable insights and data to inform evidence-based policies and interventions aimed at improving the lives of children and ensuring their rights and well-being are upheld. The data presented in the publication are compiled based on the secondary data, sourced from various Ministries, Departments, and Organizations of the Government of India.

This edition is comprised of seven chapters namely Overview, Population and Vital Statistics, Health & Nutrition, Education & Development, Crimes Involving Children and Child Protection, Policy & Legal Framework and Sustainable Development Goals related to Children. This publication features a dedicated section that enables access to detailed data tables in Excel format through QR codes. This year's publication introduced several changes in its formation and structure, which inter alia includes:

1. An expert committee comprising representatives from line Ministries/Departments and domain experts in the field of demography was constituted to consult on potential improvements to the publication, including expanding its scope, identifying potential data sources, and suggesting refinements in its design and presentation.
2. The publication has been restructured to present information in a chapter-wise format, with dedicated data tables included in each chapter for comprehensive reference.
3. Data on indicators such as ‘Causes of Death’, ‘Adoption Statistics’, ‘Overall Performance Comparison’, and ‘Usage of Mobile and Other Devices’ have been newly incorporated.

“Children in India 2025” is available at the website of the Ministry (https://mospi.gov.in/).

 

Important Highlights of the publication “Children in India 2025”

 

• The data on IMR by sex and residence for major Indian states in 2023 shows that at the National level, IMR stands at 25 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is an improvement from 2022 figures (26), with a slightly higher rate for males (26) compared to females (25).

 

• As per Sample Registration System (SRS) – Statistical Report 2023, under-five mortality rate (U5MR) is estimated at 29, which is an improvement from 2022 figures (30), and it varies from 33 in rural areas to 20 in urban areas.

 

           Source: Sample Registration System, O/o RGI, Ministry of Home Affairs

 

• The data of birth rate in 2022 and 2023 shows a decreasing trend. At the National level, the overall birth rate is 18.4 per 1,000 population, with the rural birth rate higher at 20.3, compared to 14.9 in urban areas in 2023.

                     Source: Sample Registration System, O/o Registrar General of India, M/o Home Affairs

 

• Gender inequality in access to education affects career prospects and equality in work opportunities. Gender gap in career expectations are related to deeply in-grained gender-stereotyped norms about which careers are suitable for men and women. One important indicator to measure this gender gap is Gender Parity Index (GPI) in education. GPI (based on GER) which is free from the effects of the population structure of the appropriate age group, provides picture of gender equality in education. The GPI data for 2024-25 across Indian states and union territories shows that, at the national level, parity is achieved across all education stages with secondary level having the highest index at 1.1.

 

             Source: UDISE+, Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education

 

• The dropout rate data for 2024-25 indicates a substantial improvement across all education levels compared to 2023-24 and 2022–23. At the preparatory stage, the total dropout rate fell sharply from 8.7% to 2.3%, with both males and females showing reductions. At the middle level, the rate declined from 8.1% to 3.5%. For secondary level the level has decreased from 13.8 (2022-23) to 8.2 in 2024-25.  Overall, the data reflects significant progress in retaining students in school.

 

             Source: UDISE+, Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education

 

• As per data on adoption, the number of in-country adoption has consistently ranged between 2,991-4,155 children per year, while inter country adoptions have ranged between 360 and 653 children annually. During 2024-25, there were 4,155 in-country adoptions of which 2,336 were female and 1,819 were male. This possibly indicates gender preference, with female children adopted more often than male children in in-country and inter-country adoptions.

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Samrat/Allen

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