The Kerala Model or Kerala Phenomenon or Kerala Model of Development refers to the model of social development and welfare practiced in the state of Kerala, India. Despite having a relatively small and poor economy, Kerala has:
- The highest life expectancy of any state in India, at 77 years (compared to the Indian average of 69.4 years)
- The highest levels of literacy of any state in India, at 93.91% (compared to the Indian average of
- The highest sex ratio, with 1,084 women for every 1,000 men (making it the only state in India to have more women than men)
- Lowest population growth rate in India, at 3.44%
- Lowest infant
- Second lowest levels of hunger and malnutrition in India
- Being at the forefront of LGBT issues, being the first state in India to provide free gender reassignment surgery
the highest life expectancy, literacy, media exposure, sex ratio (only state in India with more women than men) and the lowest levels of infant mortality and population growth in India.
Kerala had been led for many years under a communist party but retained democratic structures and civil liberties.