At the national level, the mean number of children ever born per woman (in agegroup 45-49 years)- which implies the level of ‘period fertility’- is 3.8 in 2001 against 4.3 in 1991, showing a decline of 10 percent during the decade 1991- 2001. The mean number of children for illiterates and literates in 2001 being 4.2 and 3.3 respectively against 4.4 and 3.8 respectively in 1991 shows a decline of 4.9 and 14.6 respectively for illiterates and literates during the decade 1991-2001.
It is observed that the level of education and the fertility rates are inversely related. The negative correlation between these two is stronger when the fertility is high and as the fertility comes down and reaches a certain minimum level, the intensity of correlation becomes weaker. The data reveals that at the lowest level of education (below middle level), the decline in the mean number of children is 13.7 percent (4.3 to 3.7), whereas among graduates and above, it is 7.0 percent (2.3 to 2.1).
The TFR, which represents the current fertility rate, is 2.52 for all women in 2001, whereas it is 3.09 for illiterates and 2.02 for literates. TFR is going down with the increase in the level of education starting from a high of 2.37 among ‘literates but below middle’ and reaching a low of 1.35 among ‘graduates and above’.
The data suggests that the education is undoubtedly one of the most potent instruments to bring down the total fertility rates, especially, in areas where the fertility rates are higher and the female literacy rates are lower. The data suggest that if the females acquire education upto matric or secondary level, the desired level of fertility rate (replacement level) of 2.1 or even less than that may not be difficult to achieve.
