{"id":106924,"date":"2026-06-05T18:18:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T12:48:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=106924"},"modified":"2026-06-05T18:18:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T12:48:59","slug":"infant-mortality-rate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/infant-mortality-rate\/","title":{"rendered":"Infant Mortality Rate, Meaning, Current Status, Key Drivers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> refers to the <\/span><b>number of deaths of children below one year of age per 1,000 live births in a specific year.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is widely used as a key indicator of public health infrastructure, maternal and child healthcare services, and socio-economic development. <\/span><b>IMR is further divided into:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">refers to <\/span><b>deaths occurring within the first 28 days of life<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These are typically caused by prematurity, birth asphyxia, neonatal sepsis, and congenital conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Post-neonatal Mortality Rate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> refers to <\/span><b>deaths occurring between 29 days and one year of life<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which are more commonly linked to infections, diarrhoea, malnutrition, and lack of immunisation coverage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Current Status of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>India\u2019s IMR stands at 24 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, down from 30 in 2019 as per Sample Registration System Report 2024 (SRS) 2024.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Around 1 in every 42 infants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in India still dies before completing one year of age.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>rural\u2013urban gap <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">persists, with rural areas showing higher vulnerability (1 in 37) compared to urban areas (1 in 59).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has achieved a <\/span><b>37.4% decline in IMR between 2012\u201314 and 2022\u201324<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reflecting faster improvement than the previous decade.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Neonatal mortality rate <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stands at 18 per 1,000 live births (2024), indicating that newborn survival remains the key concern.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Neonatal deaths<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> account for 73% of total infant deaths, up from 67.6% in 2014, showing increasing concentration in the early life stage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Large inter-state<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> variation persists, with Goa and Sikkim at 7, while Chhattisgarh (36), Uttar Pradesh (35), and Madhya Pradesh (35) remain high-burden states.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Southern states such as Kerala (8), Tamil Nadu (11), and Telangana (17) continue to perform significantly better than the national average.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, India is nearing the <\/span><b>global Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) average (~27)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but still has a gap to bridge in neonatal survival and equity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Key Drivers of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) Decline<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s decline in Infant Mortality Rate is driven by improved institutional care, expanded public health programmes, and state-specific innovations that have strengthened maternal and child health outcomes.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b> Rise in Institutional Deliveries<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Institutional deliveries <\/span><b>increased from under 83% in 2019 to over 95% in 2024<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ensuring safer childbirth under trained medical supervision and better emergency obstetric care.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rural India showed slightly faster improvement in IMR (36% decline) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">compared to urban areas (35%), reflecting the impact of targeted rural health interventions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><b> Government Schemes and Interventions<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/janani-suraksha-yojana\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> promotes institutional deliveries by providing cash incentives to poor pregnant women, reducing risky home births.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/pm-matru-vandana-yojana\/\" target=\"_blank\">Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> supports maternal nutrition and health through financial assistance during pregnancy and breastfeeding.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/mission-indradhanush-yojana\/\" target=\"_blank\">Mission Indradhanush<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> improves vaccination coverage for children and pregnant women in low-performing and high-risk areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/laqshya-programme\/\" target=\"_blank\">LaQshya Programme<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> improves the quality of care in labour rooms and maternity operation theatres, ensuring safer deliveries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/national-health-mission\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>National Health Mission (NHM)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> strengthens primary healthcare systems, especially in rural, tribal, and underserved districts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/poshan-abhiyaan\/\" target=\"_blank\">POSHAN Abhiyaan<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> focuses on reducing maternal and child malnutrition, which is a major cause of low birth weight and infant deaths.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><b>State-Level Innovations<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Telangana<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reduced IMR from 35 (2014) to 17 (2024) through better antenatal care, nutrition support under Aarogya Laxmi, and transport support for pregnant women.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Odisha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reduced IMR from 49 (2014) to 28 (2024), supported by a sharp rise in institutional deliveries from about 72% to over 97%.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Tripura<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> achieved its lowest-ever IMR of 12 in 2024, reflecting strong and consistent improvements in public health services and overall development indicators.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Challenges in Reduction of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite consistent decline in IMR, India continues to face structural gaps in neonatal care, uneven health system performance, and deep regional inequalities that slow further progress.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Neonatal deaths dominate IMR<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as 73% of infant deaths in 2024 occur within 28 days, with NMR still high at 18\/1,000, showing limited progress in newborn survival.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Quality gap in institutional deliveries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reflected in Chhattisgarh\u2019s IMR of 36 despite 97% institutional delivery coverage, highlighting weak intrapartum and postnatal care.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Wide inter-state variation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ranging from Goa &amp; Sikkim (7) to UP, MP, and Chhattisgarh (35\u201336), indicating uneven health system strength.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Rural\u2013urban divide persists<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as seen in Assam (rural IMR 31 vs urban 14), due to poor access, delayed referrals, and weak infrastructure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Maternal anaemia and malnutrition,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> leading to low birth weight and preterm births, which significantly increase neonatal risk.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Weak neonatal care<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> capacity, especially shortage of functional SNCUs, NBSUs, trained staff, and critical care support in high-burden states.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Gender-based disparities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such as Bihar (female IMR 25 vs male 21), reflecting socio-cultural bias in childcare and nutrition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Postnatal care gaps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including weak follow-up, infection management, and newborn monitoring after discharge.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India Infant Mortality Rate 2024 declines to 24 per 1,000 births; SRS data shows neonatal deaths dominate, with strong rural\u2013urban and state-wise disparities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":106946,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[7988],"class_list":{"0":"post-106924","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-infant-mortality-rate","9":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106924","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106924"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106924\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":106933,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106924\/revisions\/106933"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106924"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106924"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106924"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}