Misleading Information On The Birth Rate Of Muslims In Kerala Going Viral.

An Instagram post claiming that 58,167 Muslim children are born daily pan-India, whereas 3337 Hindu children are born daily. The post stated that the record of child birth in the government hospitals in Kerala per day is: 

Hindu: 37

Christian: 12

Sikh: 17 and 

Muslim: 167

Instagram Link | Archived Link 

However, as we investigated, we came to know that the claim was misleading. Here’s the fact check.

Fact Check 

We started our investigation by conducting a relevant keyword search. This led us to the “Civil Registration System (CRS)” portal where we found the “Annual Report on Vital Statistics of India on CRS-2023“. According to the report, the number of registered births in India in 2023 is 2,52,07,070.

The number of registered births has decreased to 252.1 lakhs in 2023 from 254.4 lakhs in 2022.  

Out of the total registered births, the share of males and females is 52.4% and 47.6% respectively. 

The share of births registered in rural and urban areas is 41.7% and 58.3% respectively.

But, no data is available on the births based on religion.

Moving forward, to know about the records of child birth in Kerala, we conducted a relevant keyword search. This led us to the Kerala Government’s Annual Viral Statistics Report 2023 ( Latest available). 

According to the report:

The Projected Mid-year Population in the State for the year 2023 is 355.62 lakhs comprising 

of 170.62 lakhs males and 185 lakhs females.  

The number of live births registered during the year 2023 is 393231 as against 443032 during 2022 

During 2023, the share of institutional (Government and Private Hospital) births to total 

registered births is 98.65 %.  

Most of the deliveries taken place in both the rural and urban area is institutional deliveries. 

96.16% deliveries out of total deliveries in rural sector and 99.88% of deliveries out of total 

deliveries in urban sector are reported as institutional birth during 2023.

Percentage distribution of births by type of Medical attention at the time of delivery 

1 Government Hospital: 30.33 

2 Private Hospital: 68.32 

3 Qualified Professional: 0.35 

4 Untrained functionary and others: 0.96 

5 Not Specified: 0.04

There is no religion-wise breakdown on the institutional status of births as claimed in the viral post.

We found the Table where “Live Birth by age of Mother, Birth Order and Religion of The Family (Rural and Urban)” have been documented. 

According to the Table,

Total Hindu birth: 158399

Total Muslim births: 176312

Total Christian birth: 56810

Others: 1294

This means that around 434 newborns were born into Hindu families and around 483 were born into Muslim families per day in 2023 which does not match the data in the viral photo.

As per the 2020 report, around 507 newborns were born into Hindu families per day whereas approximately 537 were born into Muslim families.

As per the 2021 report, around 497 newborns are born into Hindu families per day whereas approximately 464 are born into Muslim families.

As per the 2022 report, around 485 newborns were born into Hindu families per day whereas approximately 548 were born into Muslim families.

Year	Hindu Births	Muslim Births	Christian Births	Other
2020	185411	196138	62265	2967
2021	181396	169296	59766	9143
2022	177037	200325	64168	1235
2023	158399	176312	56810	1294

Year	Hindu Births Per Day Approx	Muslim Births Per Day Approx
2020	507	537
2021	497	464
2022	485	548
2023	434	483

From these data, we can say that there has always been a little difference between the birth rate in Hindus and Muslims (4-5% approx). There is no such vast difference between the numbers as claimed in the viral post.

Previously, the same data had been shared as data from Delhi. 

This makes it clear that the viral post is misleading.

Conclusion 

From our investigation, we can say that the claim is misleading. There is no religion-wise breakdown on the institutional status of births in Kerala as claimed in the viral post (Annual Viral Statistics Report 2023, Kerala Government). Moreover, no data is available on the births in pan-India based on religion (Vital Statistics of India, CRS 2023).