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Sex ratio connotes the ration between males and females. In the Indian context it refers to the number of females to thousand males. The sex composition is of paramount important in any population because of contrasting and complementary roles played by two sexes in economy and society. This ratio has a preformed important not only in demographic factors like fertility, mortality, migration etc but also on other factors like manpower, national income, education, housing etc. hence proper understanding of the sex composition of any population is essential.

It is attempted in this paper to analyze the temporal pattern of sex ratio in Karnataka taking taluk as unit of analysis. The temporal analysis is confined to a period of 30 years from 1961 to 1991 since Karnataka in its present form came into existence only in 1956. The study is based entirely on secondary data taken mainly from census publications and adopts largely the choropleth technique to analyze the data. Sex ratio differs from country to country depending upon the stage of socio-economic development. Sex ratio of the advanced countries is always more in favour females where as the trend is reverse in case of the LDCs. It is in this context we have to examine the sex ratio of Karnataka over time and space.

SEX RATIO IN INDIA: AN OVER VIEW
It is very pertinent here to have synoptic view of the sex ratio in India before examining the sex ratio of Karnataka. As in the case of any LDC, India's sex ratio also goes against the females. In 1991 the sex ratio was 929 females per 1000 males one can give many reasons for the lower sex ratio in India. More number of male births takes places compared to female births. Infact 1000 male birth take place to 937 female births. This variation at the birth is natural and occurs all over the world. However, ratio becomes balanced at the age of 4 years since male morality is more compared to female mortality. In case of India because of the differential treatment given to males and females, the variations in sex ratio are maintained even at the higher ages. The main reasons for lower sex ratio in India is higher female mortality, which is again due to;
1. General neglect of females resulted is low life expectancy for females.
2. More females die both at infancy and during the reproductive period.
3. More importance is gives to educations of male children and better treatment for then in terms of balanced diet etc.
4. Once the couple gets male children they do not wait for female children.
5. Over counting of males and under counting of females.

TABLE 1: SEX RATIO IN INDIA

Source: Census Report, 1991

How ever, one of the most puzzling point is that sex ratio has been continuously decreasing. Since, 1901 (Table 1, Fig 1). In spite of the fact that considerable socio-economic transformation has taken place in India during the said period resulting in the increase in female life expectancy, Female literacy, Female employment etc., compared to early decades. Hence it is very difficult to give plausible explanation for declining sex ratio. Sex ratio also varies greatly from once part of the country to another. South India has better sex ratio compared to north India. North-western India is a belt of low sex ratio and the North-eastern part is another pocket of low sex ratio.

SEX RATIO IN KARNATAKA
Temporal Trends:
Karnataka is a moderately developed state with a literacy rate of about 56%. Little above the National average of 52%. Its male literacy rate is 67% and female literacy rate is 44%, which are 64% and 39% respectively for the country. Thus state is placed above the National average in all types of literacy rate in 1991.

In terms of sex ratio also the state is much above the National average with 960 females per 1000 male according to 1991 census. But the temporal trend is almost identical with that of the country. It was high is 1901 started showing declining trend till 1951.

TABLE 2: SEX RATIO IN KARNATAKA

Source: Census Report, 1991

to be continued…. Part 1 | Part 2 
Mohan Kumar M. D,
Research scholar,
DOS in Geography,
Manasagangothri,
Mysore.

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