According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), what is the trend in Total fertility rate (TFR) in India?

NORCET 10 Prelims-2026

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NORCET 10 Prelims-2026

Explanation

The correct answer reflects the data from the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21), which shows India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has declined to 2.0 children per woman.
This is a significant decrease from the TFR of 2.2 recorded in the previous survey (NFHS-4, 2015-16).
This trend is a landmark demographic shift, as it is the first time India's national TFR has fallen below the replacement-level fertility of 2.1 children per woman.

Option A: The TFR is not constant; it has declined. The value 2.1 represents the replacement-level fertility, not the actual measured TFR in NFHS-5.
Option B: The national TFR has shown a consistent decline, not fluctuation. The value 2.4 was the rural TFR in NFHS-4, not the national average range.
Option D: India's TFR has been below 2.5 for over a decade and has now fallen to 2.0. A TFR above 2.5 indicates high fertility, which is contrary to the current demographic trend.

Visual 1: Infographic - A bar chart comparing the TFR from NFHS-1 (1992-93) to NFHS-5 (2019-21) to visually illustrate the consistent decline over three decades.
Visual 2: Map of India - A color-coded map showing the TFR for each state as per NFHS-5, highlighting the five states (Bihar, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Manipur) that remain above the replacement level.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Understanding of the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) trend in India based on the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
For community health nurses, understanding TFR trends is vital for planning and evaluating family planning programs, maternal and child health (MCH) services, and targeted health education.
A declining TFR signals a future demographic shift towards an aging population, requiring a long-term change in healthcare focus from population control to geriatric care and management of non-communicable diseases.
What if? If the TFR had unexpectedly increased, the immediate priority for public health policy and nursing would be to investigate the causes and intensify efforts in promoting contraception, female education, and child spacing methods to curb population growth.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core components of the question: 'NFHS-5', 'Total Fertility Rate (TFR)', and 'trend'.
Recognize this as a factual recall question based on data from a major national survey. The answer depends on knowing specific statistics.
Recall the TFR from the most recent survey (NFHS-5) is 2.0.
Recall the TFR from the previous survey (NFHS-4) was 2.2.
Compare the two values (2.2 -> 2.0) to identify the trend as a 'decline'.
Scan the options to find the one that accurately describes this decline from 2.2 to 2.0.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Understanding of the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) trend in India based on the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data.
Stem keywords: National Family Health Survey, NFHS-5, Total fertility rate, TFR, trend, India
Lead-in keywords: what is

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