Explaining the diminishing of Muslim advantage in child survival in India

Abstract Religion is one of the key instrumental social institutions in determining child health and mortality. Muslim advantage survival India has been widely reported. Recent India’s National Family Health Survey (NFHS) shows that gap between Hindu–Muslim childhood mortality rates shrinking—reversing decades for Muslims. This study examines factors linked to diminishing attempts uncover mechanisms accounting convergence using characteristics hypothesis Goldscheider (Population, modernization, structure Little, Brown & Co; 1971) analytical framework Guillot Allendorf (Genus 66(2), 2010). We have analyzed a pooled sample 23,47,245 all live births 428,541 last from four rounds NFHS (1992–2016). Kaplan–Meier plots over time by religion confirm probabilities. The Pyatt decomposition model reveals due decline within-Hindu inequality. Cox proportional hazard regression improvement household maternal socioeconomic contributed Hindu children catching up with Muslims—leading Conditional β-convergence also suggests socio-economic status care driving Hindus Muslims across Indian states.