The debate about the gender ratio in India is nothing new. For decades, it has been a significant topic of social, economic, and demographic debate. Almost everyone knows that the number of women in the country has been lower than that of men. According to the 2011 census, there were only 943 women per 1,000 men. However, in the last few years, various government schemes, awareness campaigns, and improvements in health services have suggested a gradual change in this picture. But the big question is: has India’s sex ratio actually improved? If so, by how much?
In today’s special series, “Dekho Dekhi,” we will explore the current gender ratio in India, based on data available until 2026, how much has it changed over the past five years, which states have the highest female-male ratio, and which states still face concerns. Let’s understand, using data, what the real picture of the gender ratio in India reveals.
1. Discussing the sex ratio from 2021 to 2025, some data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) is presented in the image below.
2. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) and demographic trends, the following is the data for five major states in India based on the number of women per 1000 men (sex ratio):
3. Talking about Haryana, where the number of women is the lowest compared to men, the image below can help us understand what the half-yearly report for 2026 shows.
4. In Haryana, in the first half of 2026, the sex ratio declined in 10 districts, including Panipat, Panchkula, and Yamunanagar. However, improvements were seen in Palwal, Sonipat, Rewari, Faridabad, and Karnal.
5. Finally, we will discuss Haryana’s schemes that focus on educating and protecting the female population.
6. Recent data from the Health Department has raised concerns about the sex ratio in Haryana. Experts have expressed concern about the rise in female foeticide and have called for strict enforcement and effective monitoring of the PC-PNDT Act.
The above images illustrate the relative number of women to men in India.