Determinants of infant mortality in India

"Infant Mortality Rate" (IMR), is an important socio-economic indicator which measures an important dimension of the well-being of any society. For the developing and less developed countries of the world, Infant Mortality Rates are much higher than those in the developed countries. This research aims to study IMR in India, a country which achieved considerable growth in industrial and agricultural sectors during the post-independence era, but which still has a relatively high level of IMR. Different formulations for measuring IMR are given and work done by different searchers in this area are reviewed in this study. Indicators of the variables affecting IMR are chosen, a time series regression model is estimated by ordinary least squares, and the results discussed. A cross-section analysis of the states in India is also attempted. The results of these analyses, concur quite well with other studies done for countries in similar stages of economic development