The Registrar General of India (RGI) cautioned both private and government hospitals to report all births and deaths within 21 days of occurrence.

Key Highlights of the Circular by RGI

• Unregistered Births and Deaths: The circular revealed that nearly 10% of birth and death events still go unregistered in India, despite improvements in recent years.
• Lack of Citizen-Friendly Procedures: The RGI noted that registrars often do not take adequate steps to simplify and expedite the registration process.
  • Certificates should ideally be issued within 7 days.
• Historical Registration Levels: As per RGI data, the registration level for births in 2011 was 82.4%, and for deaths, it was 66.4%. While the current rate has reached around 90%, full coverage has not yet been achieved.

About the Registration of Birth and Death (RBD) Act, 1969

• It is an Act to provide for the regulation of registration of births and deaths and for matters connected therewith.
• Mandate: It mandates compulsory registration of all births and deaths in India.
• Responsibility of the Registrar: Under Section 23(2) of the Act, registrars must register births and deaths; failure to do so can result in fines.
• Launch of Centralised Portal: As of October 1, 2023, all registrations are to be conducted digitally via the Centre’s Civil Registration System portal.
• • The digital birth certificate is now the only official document to prove date of birth for services like school admissions, job applications, marriage registration, etc.
• Integration with NPR and Other Records: Birth and death data will help update the National Population Register (NPR), as well as documents like ration cards, electoral rolls, and property records.
• The update to NPR is currently on hold, pending the next Census, which has been indefinitely delayed.
• Role of Government and Private Hospitals:
  • Government hospitals act as registrars under the CRS.
  • Private hospitals are required to report events to the registrar in their jurisdiction rather than register them directly.