The tribal population groups from 7.95 percent of the total population of India. About 67.76 million persons have been enumerated in the country (excluding Jammu & Kashmir) as members of the Scheduled Tribes (1991 census).

In India tribals are neglected a lot, discriminated in terms of income distribution and social status.

Female infanticide is not uncommon in Indian society, and is still prevalent in certain parts of the country. With the advancement of modern technology its practice, however, has taken a different shape. Now it is possible to detect the sex of the baby when it is still in the womb of the mother.

Research in fertility, preferences, particularly in developing countries, has received considerable attention in recent years because of its relationship with and important bearing on the complex family building processes.

The banners for the International Women's Day still flutter in the hall. The air is still thick with songs and slogans. Dreams in clenched fists and raised voices still float in the eyes. However, there is dead silence at Surinder Lotow'a's house. This is the happiest and luckiest day for him.

The Indian family welfare program is a centrally sponsored scheme, implemented by the State governments within the framework of elaborate guidelines and norms developed by the Central Government.

The issues of equality of access to health care has two related questions - access whom and access to what? They seem to have a simple answer: there should be access to health care services for anyone in need of it.

India's efforts to promote family planning have produced a significant increase in the couple protection rate (CPR) which has increased by about 33 percent during the last 22 years-from 10.4 percent in 1970 to 43.5 in 1992.

Indian society consists of immensely varied political, social, ethnic, linguistic, religious and community groups, which, by and large, reside in villages, where poverty, misconceived religious notions, social customs, illiteracy, ignorance and superstitions prevail.

Pregnancy outcome in any given community-the probability of a pregnancy terminating in a full-term, healthy live birth-is a powerful indicator of the health status of its women, and of the quality of health care available to them during pregnancy and birth.