The Indian Penal Code 1860 (IPC) has been amended only sparingly since its enactment. The substantive penal provisions contained therein are applicable to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The IPC originally had twenty-three chapters.

The focus on mother and child health as a key element in Indian health policy evolved out of what was identified as one of the strongest explanatory factors for continued high fertility, viz., the high infant mortality rates.