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Correct Answer: Option (D) — A is false but R is true
Concept & Option Breakdown
Standard Reference Verified- Assertion (A) is false: In India (as globally), the natural sex ratio at birth is biological male-biased (~105 male births per 100 female births), and in India, this is further skewed by social factors resulting in more male children being born than female children.
- Reason (R) is true: Biologically, male infants have higher vulnerability to congenital disorders and infections, leading to slightly higher infant mortality rates under normal biological circumstances.
Sex ratio at birth in India is heavily skewed in favor of males, which directly falsifies Assertion (A), leading directly to Option (d).
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