In Kerala, the Hindu community is recording more deaths than births in a year, registering a negative Natural Growth Rate (NGR) of -0.115% in 2023, marking the second consecutive year in negative territory.
Hindu NGR turned negative for the first time in 2022 at -0.080% and worsened further to -0.115% in 2023, showing the gap between births and deaths among Hindus in the state is widening.
A negative natural growth rate means the Hindu community is no longer replacing itself through births alone. This demographic decline indicates that the Hindu population growth in Kerala has turned negative.
“Hindu and Christian communities are leading Kerala’s slide towards a negative natural growth rate,” said Dr Anil Chandran S, assistant professor, Department of Demography, University of Kerala.
The population decline in Hindu groups began with upper-class communities decades ago, attributed to low fertility rates and migration to foreign countries.
Hindus constitute 54.73% of Kerala’s population, making them the largest religious community in the state, yet facing population decline.
Kerala’s overall natural growth rate remains in positive territory at 0.249% only because of the Muslim population, which records more births than deaths, while Hindus and Christians are both in negative territory.
This demographic trend reflects declining fertility rates among the Hindu community in Kerala, with migration contributing to population changes, raising concerns about Hindu population sustainability in the state.
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