Why can't we have one child policy in India?

Implementing a one-child policy in India is fraught with several significant issues and challenges, making it impractical and potentially harmful. Here are some key reasons:

Democratic Concerns

India is a democratic country, and such a policy would be difficult to enforce and could erode democratic norms. The coercive nature of a one-child policy is more compatible with authoritarian regimes, as seen in China, rather than democratic societies4.

Gender Imbalance and Human Rights Violations

A one-child policy could exacerbate the existing gender imbalance in India, where there is a traditional preference for male children. This could lead to widespread sex-selective abortions, abandonment, and even killing of female infants, similar to what was observed in China. This violates women's rights and contributes to a skewed sex ratio4.

Targeting of Minorities and Lower-Caste Communities

In India, population control policies, including those advocating for a one or two-child limit, have often been targeted at Muslim and lower-caste communities. This is driven by majoritarian Hindu nationalist concerns rather than demographic realities, which could further marginalize these groups and undermine democratic principles1.

Economic and Social Implications

A one-child policy could lead to a shrinking workforce in the long term, as the dependency ratio increases with fewer workers supporting a growing number of elderly dependents. This poses significant challenges for economic productivity and growth, as well as social security and healthcare systems3.

Regional Disparities

India's population dynamics vary significantly across regions. Implementing a uniform one-child policy would not address the diverse needs of different states, which have varying fertility rates and demographic challenges. This could exacerbate regional disparities in development and resource allocation3.

Violation of Women's Rights and Autonomy

Such policies often result in coercive measures, including forced sterilizations, which have been historically used in India, particularly during "The Emergency" years of 1975-77. These measures violate women's rights to reproductive autonomy and can lead to significant health risks for women, especially those from poorer backgrounds14.

Alternative Solutions

Instead of coercive population control measures, improving women's education, career opportunities, and access to birth control have been shown to be more effective in reducing fertility rates. These approaches respect individual rights and contribute to overall social and economic development4.