Health Ministry releases NFHS-6: stunting falls to 29.3%, institutional deliveries reach 90.6%
The National Family Health Survey-6 (2023-24), released on 29 May 2026, shows stunting among under-five children falling from 35.5% to 29.3% and institutional deliveries rising to 90.6%, with TFR at 2.0.
Summary
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released NFHS-6 on 29 May 2026. Conducted in 2023-24 with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, as nodal agency, it covered about 6.79 lakh households in 715 districts. Compared with NFHS-5 (2019-21), institutional deliveries rose from 88.6% to 90.6%, full immunisation from 83.8% to 87.1% and rotavirus vaccine coverage from 36.4% to 85.4%. Stunting fell from 35.5% to 29.3% and severe wasting from 7.7% to 5.2%; the Total Fertility Rate stayed at 2.0.
Key facts
- Survey
- NFHS-6, conducted 2023-24; released 29 May 2026
- Nodal agency
- IIPS, Mumbai
- Coverage
- About 6.79 lakh households, 715 districts
- Institutional deliveries
- 88.6% → 90.6%
- Full immunisation
- 83.8% → 87.1%
- Rotavirus vaccine
- 36.4% → 85.4%
- Stunting (under 5)
- 35.5% → 29.3%
- Severe wasting
- 7.7% → 5.2%
- Total Fertility Rate
- 2.0
- Contraceptive prevalence
- 66.7% → 69.1%
Practice MCQs 5 questions
Which institution was the nodal agency for the National Family Health Survey-6 (2023-24), released in May 2026?
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Correct answer: D â International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai
NFHS-6 was conducted in 2023-24 by MoHFW with IIPS, Mumbai, as the nodal agency.
According to NFHS-6, stunting among children under five years declined from 35.5% (NFHS-5) to:
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Correct answer: B â 29.3%
Stunting declined from 35.5% to 29.3%; 31.8% is the underweight figure.
What share of deliveries were institutional deliveries as per NFHS-6?
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Correct answer: C â 90.6%
Institutional deliveries increased from 88.6% to 90.6%; 95.9% is the ANC coverage figure.
Consider the following statements about NFHS-6: 1. India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) remains at 2.0. 2. Full immunisation coverage of children declined compared with NFHS-5. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A â 1 only
TFR remains at 2.0; full immunisation improved from 83.8% to 87.1%, it did not decline.
NFHS-6 recorded the sharpest rise in coverage of which vaccine among children, from 36.4% to 85.4%?
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Correct answer: B â Rotavirus vaccine
Rotavirus vaccination coverage rose from 36.4% to 85.4%; measles second dose rose from 58.6% to 71.8%.