Assertion (A) : According to statistics, more female children, are born each year than male children in India. Reason (R) : In India, the death rate of a male child is higher than that of the female child.

The Assertion (A) is false because demographic statistics in India consistently show that more male children are born each year than female children. The biological natural sex ratio at birth typically favors males (around 105 males per 100 females), and in India, the number of female births is further reduced due to sex-selective practices.

The Reason (R) is true from a biological standpoint. Male children are generally more susceptible to birth complications and early childhood diseases than female children, leading to a higher inherent death rate. While India has faced specific challenges with female child mortality due to social neglect, the biological vulnerability of male infants is a recognized demographic fact. Because the assertion is factually incorrect, the only possible choice is (D).