Shillong: Meghalaya is undergoing a major demographic shift characterized by declining birth rates, fewer adolescent pregnancies, and a gradually aging population. A recent report from the State Health Resource Centre shows the state’s total fertility rate fell from 2.9 children per woman in 2015-16 to 2.2 in 2023-24.
This trend follows an increase in the use of modern contraceptives among married women, which grew from 22.5 percent to 30.2 percent. Simultaneously, teenage pregnancies decreased from 7.2 percent to 4.6 percent. These changes are slowly reshaping the local population structure. Residents under the age of 15 dropped from 37.3 percent to 34.1 percent, while the elderly population aged 60 and above rose from 4.9 percent to 6.8 percent.
While Meghalaya remains one of India's youngest states, the report suggests the rate of youth growth is cooling. Experts advise that future government planning must address this transition by balancing child and maternal health needs with the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases. The study noted that "although Meghalaya remains one of the country’s youngest states, the latest trends indicate that it is no longer becoming younger at the same pace."
Social indicators also show positive movement. Child marriage rates among women aged 20 to 24 dropped from 16.9 percent to 13.8 percent. Additionally, women have gained significant financial and digital independence, with bank account ownership climbing to 81.5 percent and mobile phone access reaching 80.6 percent. Despite these health and social gains, the State Health Resource Centre emphasized a need for increased investment in education, as schooling completion rates in the state still trail the national average.
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