Current infant mortality rate as per NITI Aayog is?

BHU NO - 12 April 2024

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: BHU NO - 12 April 2024

Explanation

The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India was 28 per 1000 live births, according to the Sample Registration System (SRS) data for 2020.
IMR is a key indicator of a nation's health status, defined as the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1000 live births.
This figure represents the national average, though rates vary significantly between states, with Kerala having the lowest (6) and Madhya Pradesh having the highest (43) in 2020.
The data is published by the Registrar General of India, and used by planning bodies like NITI Aayog for policy-making.

Option A: This value is incorrect for the national IMR. 20 per 1000 live births was India's Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) in 2020, which measures deaths within the first 28 days of life.
Option C: This figure is too high for the current national average IMR. An IMR of 40 is more representative of the rates in some of the highest-burden states, such as Madhya Pradesh (43) or Uttar Pradesh (38) in 2020, but not the all-India average.
Option D: This value is significantly outdated. An IMR of 50 per 1000 live births reflects the situation in India in earlier years (around 2008-2009). The rate has steadily declined since then due to improved healthcare.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a pivotal role in reducing IMR through direct patient care and community health initiatives, including antenatal counseling, skilled birth attendance, postnatal home visits, and promoting immunization.
Understanding national and local IMR helps nurses and public health officials to identify high-risk areas and tailor interventions to have the greatest impact.
What if? If a nurse is transferred from a low-IMR state like Kerala (IMR 6) to a high-IMR state like Madhya Pradesh (IMR 43), their focus must shift significantly towards community-based interventions, identifying and managing high-risk newborns, and tackling systemic issues like malnutrition and home deliveries.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept being tested: this is a factual recall question about a key national health statistic, the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR).
Recognize that such data is published periodically by official sources like the Sample Registration System (SRS) and used by bodies like NITI Aayog.
Recall the most recent official figure you have studied. Be aware that exam questions might use data that is a year or two old.
Carefully differentiate IMR from other related metrics like Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) or Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) to avoid choosing a close but incorrect distractor.
Evaluate the options: eliminate figures that are clearly outdated (too high) or represent state-level data rather than the national average.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India
Stem keywords: infant mortality rate, NITI Aayog, current
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

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