In a significant and welcome reversal, Haryana's annual sex ratio at birth (SRB) has shown an improvement for the first time since 2019. The state recorded 923 girls born for every 1,000 boys in 2025, a notable climb from the alarming low of 910 in 2024. This positive shift follows intensified state-wide efforts to curb the deep-rooted practice of sex-selective elimination.
A Turnaround After Alarm Bells
The decline to 910 last year had set off alarm bells, marking the lowest point since the launch of the flagship Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign in 2016. The campaign was initiated precisely to address Haryana's historically poor sex ratios, driven by female infanticide and sex-selective abortions. While the new figure of 923 is still below the natural balance and lags behind many other states, it represents the highest SRB Haryana has achieved to date.
According to provisional Civil Registration System data, the state registered a total of 5,19,691 births in 2025. This comprised 2,70,281 boys and 2,49,410 girls, highlighting the persistent gap that authorities are striving to close.
District Performance: Leaders and Laggards
The improvement was not uniform across the state. Three districts emerged as top performers with an SRB of 950 or above. Panchkula led the state at 971, followed by Fatehabad (961) and Panipat (951). Karnal (944) and Yamunanagar (943) completed the top five. Several other districts, including Sirsa, Nuh, and Kurukshetra, also reported ratios above the state average of 923.
However, the picture was less rosy in the urban-industrial belts of south Haryana, particularly around the National Capital Region. Gurgaon recorded an SRB of 901, while Faridabad stood at 916. The weakest performances came from Rohtak (898), Sonipat (894), and Rewari, which was at the bottom with 882.
The Crackdown That Made a Difference
Health department officials have directly attributed the statewide gain to a series of aggressive enforcement actions through 2025. Following the 2024 dip, a state-level task force was formed in March, bringing together officials from health, police, women and child development, and other agencies to review the SRB weekly.
Dr Virender Yadav, director of the National Health Mission in Haryana, detailed the measures. "A total of 114 FIRs were registered under the MTP Act and 16 under the PCPNDT Act in 2025," he said. Ultrasound inspections were ramped up dramatically, nearly doubling from 3,072 in 2024 to 5,836 in 2025.
A key strategy was the reverse tracking of abortions beyond 12 weeks among women with previous girl children. From October 2024 to December 2025, this tracking via Asha workers identified 3,292 such cases, leading to 68 FIRs against clinics, chemists, and middlemen.
The crackdown extended to the illegal sale of medical termination of pregnancy kits. The Food and Drug Administration sealed 44 chemist shops and registered 59 FIRs, including 17 related to online sales, seizing over 6,000 illegal kits. Consequently, abortions carried out beyond 10 weeks fell significantly from 21,498 in 2024 to 14,204 in 2025. A total of 495 out of 1,500 registered MTP centres in the state were shut down for violations.
Ongoing Challenges and the Road Ahead
Despite the progress, authorities acknowledge persistent challenges. Urban-industrial belts and border districts remain areas of concern due to easier access to covert, illegal sex-selection clinics. Haryana has been conducting joint raids with neighbouring states targeting clinics using portable ultrasound devices.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Sudhir Rajpal emphasized continued vigilance. "While the state average has improved, micro-level monitoring will continue in districts that are still below 900. We aim to improve SRB further in the coming months. Districts which border other states will be under tight scrutiny," he stated.
The long-term district data offers a glimmer of hope. Panchkula, for instance, has risen from an SRB of 909 in 2015 to 971 in 2025. Similarly, Fatehabad improved from 893 to 961, and Panipat from 892 to 951 in the same decade. Even Gurgaon, despite its current low ranking, has seen an improvement from 858 in 2015.
The 2025 data signifies a crucial, hard-fought step forward for Haryana. It underscores that sustained regulatory pressure, community surveillance, and inter-departmental coordination can begin to alter deep-seated social biases, offering a more equitable start for the girl child.
