Published Paper Details:

The present study has been undertaken to study the effects of different socio-economic and demographic factors on the fertility behaviour in District Bilaspur of Himachal Pradesh. A total sample comprises 150 households, out of which 75 households (sampled couples 87) were selected from rural area and 75 households (sampled couples 77) were selected from the urban area in District Bilaspur of Himachal Pradesh. Step wise forward regression analysis was applied to examine the effect of social, economic and demographic variables on total number of children ever born (TCEB) of the sampled women. In rural area the result of regression shows that total male surviving children was alone responsible for the 28 percent of variation in total no. of children ever born. Step wise regression analysis for rural area shows by including explanatory variable increases the value of R2 i. e. age of wife at the time of marriage 21 years or more to 40 percent, age of wife at the time of marriage 18 to 20 years to 48 percent, no. of children dead to 56 percent, education of wife above senior secondary school complete to 58 percent, wife working in private sector to 60 percent, husband working in private sector to 62 percent, decision about no. of children taken by both husband and wife to 64 percent, wife working in Government sector to 66 percent and duration of effective marriage 21 years or above to 67.5 percent. In urban area the result of regression shows that total male surviving children was alone responsible for the 26 percent of variation in total no. of children ever born. Step wise regression analysis for urban area shows by including explanatory variable increases the value of R2 i. e. duration effective marriage 21 or above to 37 percent, age of wife at the time of marriage 21 years or more to 44 percent, elders take decision about son preference to 48 percent, age of wife at the time of marriage 18 to 20 years to 50 percent, duration of effective marriage 6 to 10 years to 53 percent, duration of effective marriage 16 to 20 years to 56 percent, duration of effective marriage 11 to 15 years to 60 percent, husband working in Government sector to 63 percent and no. of children dead increase the value of R2 to 65 percent.