Maarg Manthan · Topic 18.3

National Family Health Survey (NFHS)

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Important Reports, Indices and Surveys · Topic 18.3

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is a large, periodic household survey on population, health and nutrition, conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, as nodal agency. Six rounds have been held, from NFHS-1 in 1992-93 to NFHS-6 in 2023-24. NFHS-5 (2019-21) reported a total fertility rate of 2.0 and child stunting of 35.5 per cent. NFHS-6 fact sheets were released on 29 May 2026 and, as reported, show a total fertility rate of 2.0 and stunting of 29.3 per cent.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Important Reports, Indices and Surveys

At a Glance

Ministry Health and Family Welfare
Nodal agency IIPS, Mumbai
Rounds NFHS-1 (1992-93) to NFHS-6 (2023-24)
NFHS-5 2019-21, TFR 2.0
NFHS-6 Fact sheets on 29 May 2026
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Important Reports, Indices and Surveys

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the labour survey and shows the health side of survey data. It feeds the poverty index, which uses NFHS indicators, and the debate on nutrition measured by the hunger index. Previous topic: Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). Next topic: India Justice Report.

What Are the NFHS Rounds and Their Main Findings?

Round	Period and notable result
NFHS-1	1992-93. First round, carried out with IIPS as nodal agency
NFHS-2	1998-99
NFHS-3	2005-06. Total fertility rate of 2.7
NFHS-4	2015-16. Total fertility rate of 2.2 and child stunting of 38.4 per cent
NFHS-5	2019-21. Total fertility rate of 2.0, below replacement of 2.1, child stunting 35.5 per cent, wasting 19.3 per cent, and sex ratio of 1,020 women per 1,000 men for the total population
NFHS-6	2023-24. Fact sheets released on 29 May 2026, with total fertility rate of 2.0, stunting of 29.3 per cent and contraceptive use of 69.1 per cent, as reported

What Does NFHS Measure and How?

Topics: Fertility, family planning, maternal and child health, immunisation, nutrition, anaemia, domestic violence, women empowerment, HIV and non-communicable diseases
Sample: A nationally representative household survey with state and district estimates. NFHS-5 covered about 6.1 lakh households
Fieldwork: Conducted through partner organisations with computer-assisted interviews and biomarker tests for anaemia, blood sugar and blood pressure
Sex ratio at birth: NFHS-5 reported 929 females per 1,000 males for children born in the last five years
Institutional births: NFHS-5 reported about 88.6 per cent institutional births nationally, against 78.9 per cent in NFHS-4
Immunisation: NFHS-5 reported full immunisation of about 76.4 per cent among children aged 12 to 23 months
Women: NFHS-5 reported anaemia among women aged 15 to 49 of about 57 per cent, and among children of about 67 per cent
Verification: NFHS-6 figures are from fact sheets and press reports, and the full national report was still to come, so readers should check the official release for exact values

What Else Should You Remember?

Nodal agency: IIPS, Mumbai, is a deemed university under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Its full name is the International Institute for Population Sciences
Total fertility rate: The average number of children a woman would have through her reproductive years. Replacement level is 2.1
Stunting and wasting: Stunting means low height for age, a sign of chronic undernutrition, and wasting means low weight for height, a sign of acute undernutrition. These feed the Global Hunger Index, as in Global Hunger Index (India Rank and Methodology)
Link to poverty measurement: The national poverty index uses NFHS data for its health indicators, as in NITI Aayog Method Alkire-Foster, with UNDP and OPHI Indicators 12 across 3 dimensions Baseline (NFHS-4) 25.01 per cent…">Multidimensional Poverty Index (India-Specific, NITI Aayog)
NFHS-6 caveats: As reported, breastfeeding for the first six months fell and caesarean births rose to about 27.2 per cent, and some NFHS-5 indicators do not appear in the NFHS-6 fact sheets, which limits comparisons
Children: As reported, severe wasting fell from 7.7 per cent to 5.2 per cent, while overall wasting changed little
Lifestyle disease: Adult overweight and obesity are rising, which is a part of the double burden of malnutrition
Related surveys: The Sample Registration System gives annual fertility and mortality data, and the Census gives population counts
Link to schemes: Poshan Abhiyaan and the Janani Suraksha Yojana aim to improve the indicators NFHS tracks
Common mistakes: Treating NFHS as a census or saying that NFHS-5 is the most recent round

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Agency: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with IIPS as nodal agency
Rounds: Six rounds from 1992-93
Key numbers: TFR 2.0 in NFHS-5 and as reported in NFHS-6, stunting 35.5 per cent to 29.3 per cent
Concepts: Stunting, wasting, TFR and sex ratio at birth
Common errors: Mixing stunting with wasting or saying NFHS is run by the Registrar General

As an analytical point, NFHS gives a rare district-level picture of health and nutrition that guides schemes and budgets. Falling stunting and fertility show progress, but anaemia, obesity and women health call for sustained work.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Rounds Dates and agency
Indicators TFR and stunting
Health Human development theme

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the India Justice Report. Next topic: India Justice Report.

Key People and Terms

TFR Total fertility rate
Stunting Low height for age
Wasting Low weight for height
Sex ratio at birth Females per 1,000 males born
IIPS International Institute for Population Sciences
Biomarker Biological measure taken in the field

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Nodal agency: IIPS, Mumbai.
NFHS-5: 2019-21, TFR 2.0.
NFHS-6: 2023-24, released May 2026.
Replacement fertility: 2.1.
Stunting: 35.5 per cent in NFHS-5.

Do Not Confuse With

NFHS and Census Sample survey versus population count
Stunting and wasting Chronic versus acute undernutrition
NFHS and SRS Periodic survey versus annual registration estimates

Memory Hook

Six rounds, IIPS runs the field, TFR two, stunting down.

Mains Angle

Mains questions ask about nutrition and health gains. These points give a balanced frame.

Gains Fertility and stunting
Gaps Anaemia, obesity
Way Nutrition and primary care

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss the key findings of the recent National Family Health Survey and the policy areas that need attention.”

How to Answer

Findings TFR and stunting.
Gaps Anaemia and obesity.
Policy Poshan, primary care.
Way District action.

GS Relevance

Prelims: NFHS rounds, nodal agency, key indicators. GS Paper 2: health, human development, vulnerable sections. GS Paper 1: population and society.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Family Health Survey?

The National Family Health Survey is a large household survey on population, health and nutrition, carried out by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, as nodal agency. Six rounds have been held between 1992-93 and 2023-24.

Who conducts the NFHS?

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare commissions the NFHS, and the International Institute for Population Sciences in Mumbai is the nodal agency that designs and coordinates the survey with partner field agencies. It is not run by the Registrar General, who handles the Census and the Sample Registration System.

What did NFHS-5 show about fertility and stunting?

NFHS-5, conducted in 2019-21, showed a total fertility rate of 2.0, below the replacement level of 2.1, and child stunting of 35.5 per cent. It also recorded about 88.6 per cent institutional births and a sex ratio at birth of 929 for births in the five years before the survey.

What is the latest status of NFHS-6?

NFHS-6, conducted in 2023-24, had its fact sheets released on 29 May 2026. As reported, they show a total fertility rate of 2.0, child stunting of 29.3 per cent and contraceptive use of 69.1 per cent. The full national report was still awaited, so figures should be checked.

What is the difference between stunting and wasting?

Stunting is low height for age and reflects chronic undernutrition over a long period, while wasting is low weight for height and reflects acute undernutrition. NFHS reports both for children under five, and they are used in the Global Hunger Index and the national poverty index.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The nodal agency for the NFHS is the International Institute for Population Sciences.

True

It is based in Mumbai.

2 NFHS-5 reported a total fertility rate above the replacement level.

False

It was 2.0, below 2.1.

3 NFHS-5 was conducted in 2019-21.