• According to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), the TFR reduced from 2.2 children in 2015-16 to 2.0 children in 2019-21. It was 3.4 children back in 1992-93 when the first round of the survey was conducted.

• The state-wise data showed that compared to the previous NFHS-4 (2015-16), the TFR declined in most states. However, there were only six states where the TFR was more than the national average.
• Among those, Bihar topped the chart with a TFR of 2.98 children.
• Kerala witnessed the highest jump in TFR from 1.56 children to 1.79 children in the latest round of the NFHS.
• Nagaland saw the sharpest decline in the TFR from 2.7 children in 2015-16 to 1.7 children in 2019-21.
• Women with no schooling had an average of 2.8 children, compared to 1.8 children for women with 12 or more years of schooling. It was the same for the median age at first birth — it increased with years of schooling.

About NFHS survey:

• NFHS is a large-scale, multi-round survey conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India.
• All NFHSs have been conducted under the stewardship of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) Mumbai, serving as the nodal agency.
• NFHS-5 includes some new focal areas, such as death registration, pre-school education, expanded domains of child immunisation, components of micro-nutrients to children, menstrual hygiene etc.