Orphans and their living arrangement in Indian households: Understanding their educational and nutritional status

Abstract Absence of biological parents affects a child's growth and well-being. This study examines the status of children living in the households, whose parents or either of the parents was not alive by considering their living arrangement, educational performance, and nutritional status. Orphans are mainly of three types classified by UNICEF as paternal orphans (absence of the father), maternal orphans (absence of mother), and double orphans (absence of both the parents). This study has done the comparative analysis between the orphans and non-orphans by considering their educational performances and nutritional status. The study used the data provided by the National Family Health Survey, India, 2015–16. This survey is a large scale sample survey conducted in households throughout the nation. Based on the data provided by the survey, in the age group 0 to 18 years there were 5 percent orphans (including all three types of orphans) living in the households. Living arrangement of orphans indicated that paternal and maternal orphans were found to be living with either of their alive parents, followed by grandparents, whereas double orphans were living with their extended family members or grandparents. Educational performances were compared for both the types of children and it was found that children who never attended school and the school dropout rates, both were higher among the orphans compared to non-orphans. In terms of nutritional status orphans were lagging behind the non-orphans, in all three indicators, i.e. stunting, wasting and underweight. Thus focused interventions are required for the betterment and welfare of orphans living within the households as the demise of either of the parent creates a void in the early years of life which ultimately affects the child’s overall development.