To What Extent is the National Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques Act of 1994 Effective?

Abstract

India currently observes an alarmingly low child sex ratio regarding females. The 2011 Indian National Census found that the child sex ratio had reached an all-time low of 914 girls to 1000 boys. The low child sex ratio in India can be attributed to practices of sex selective abortions against female babies. The Indian government acted against this practice in 1994 with The National Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques (PNDT) Act that was implemented in 1996. The goal of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of The National Pre Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques (PNDT) Act now that almost three decades have passed since its implementation. Data from the decade of implementation of the act to current times in 2021 will be used in order to create a longitudinal study that examines trends regarding the overall population, child sex-ratios, and overall sex-ratios. Linear modeling will be used to predict future trends for the child sex ratio as this data has been limited due to COVID 19. Information in this thesis will primarily be found from the past three official Indian census as well as multiple National Family Health Surveys. This paper concluded that the PNDT Act has been ineffective in raising the child sex ratio as the child sex ratio has continuously remained worse than prior to the passage of the PNDT Act and is predicted to stay this way in future years.