Fewer babies, but more second children in Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Despite South India's record-low fertility rates, a notable preference for second children persists in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The SRS 2021 report shows TFRs below replacement levels, with Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh at 1.5. Yet, birth order data reveals a higher share of second births in these states, indicating evolving but culturally rooted reproductive choices.