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Son Preference in India: Trends, patterns and determinants

Vineet Kumar, Banaras HIndu University
Kaushalendra K. Singh, Banaras HIndu University

In the recent past, from a demographic viewpoint, India has been consistently showing inequality in the sex ratio. There has been a strong preference for sons in northern India. This preference has been thoroughly established through various studies (Arnold, Choe, and Roy 1998; Miller 1981; Williamson 1976). Here we explore the trends, differentials and determinants of son preference over a period of time in India. The present study used all four rounds of National Family Health Survey(NFHS), data for analysis. Married women aged 15–49 years with at least one ideal child were only included in the study. We pooled the data of all four rounds of survey. Bivariate analysis was performed to examine association and thereafter, logistic regression analysis was performed to understand the relationship of selected characteristics with son preference in all four surveys. Although there is a declining trend in the level of son preference over a period of time but still we found that there is strong son preference in all survey round. Son preference, which is very vigorous among Indian women, is mainly associated with lack of education and socio-religious limitations.

Keywords: Inequality, Gender, Spatial analysis/regression, Demographic and social surveys

See extended abstract.

  Presented in Session 146. Persisting Preferences for Sons