Fertility, education, and social change.

Abstract

Level of education in India affects the age at marriage, the role of women, the desire to maintain and raise the standard of living, mobility , and cultural values all of which contribute to a couple's motivation to practice birth control. A review of differential fertility studies carried out in different parts of India indicates that generally the level of education and fertility are inversely related. However, the conclusions showing mean fertility at different levels of education are not uniform and this suggests that there is a critical level of education above which self-motivation, the conscious effort at family limitation on the part of the couple, determines the fertility level. Couples with less education may be inspired to practice birth control after reaching a certain parity. In India, level of education, by raising the age of marriage, widening the non-familial role of women, raising the desired standard of living, increasing geographical mobility and inculcating the small family norm, either directly affects fertility or induces the need for a small family. These variables are a direct result of education and operate most effectively upon couples educated at the level of professional and post-graduate degrees. The small family norm can also be instilled in couples with secondary and college levels of education and family planning will be practiced after the desired number of children is reached. Both self-motivation and sustained motivation are almost absent in couples with only primary or less education. Studies indicate that this section of the population will practice birth control only at high parity levels with outside encouragement.