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The skilled human population is also a type of resource as it can economically lift the country,
and help in its development of the country. The government needs to understand the quality and
the quantity of the population so it can be used efficiently for the country. The government needs
to provide the population with drinking water, transport, and health care to properly utilize the
population later in time.
The government collects data like migrating population, their age, occupation, gender, and
literacy rate to keep itself updated, this data help the government to efficiently build facilities
like transport and hospitals. This collection of data is called a Census. This data is collected
every 10 years in India.
Census- It is the official enumeration of citizens done periodically by the government. It is
derived from the Latin word “Censere” which means to access or to rate.
While taking a census, Government officials visit each and every household to gather this
information.
There first census was taken in 1872, but the first complete census was taken in 1881. The
census taken in 2011 is the latest, it is the 15th census of India.
The census report is the most detailed report taken, It provides valuable information to help in
the drafting of policies, it consists:Demography
Urbanization
SCs and STs
Religion
Language
Fertility
Literacy & Education
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Housing
Mortality
Migration
Disability
Economic Activity
India has about 3.28 million square km of land, which accounts for about 2.4% of the total
landmass; But India has about 17.5% of the population living on it. As per the 2011 census,
India’s population was 1,210.6 Million, making it the second most populous country.
U.P is the most populous state of India with a population of 199 Million (16% of India’s
Population); Sikkim is the state with the lowest population of 0.6 Million. Lakshadweep
only has about 64,000 people on it. Rajasthan is the largest state on holds about 5.5% of
India’s population.
Half of India’s population is made up by 5 states - U.P, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and
Andhra Pradesh (Including Telangana, as it wasn’t formed in 2011).
The distribution of people is different and is based on many factors. The factors are:
Uneven Terrain- Hilly or Arid regions have fewer people
Unfavorable Climatic Conditions- Desert and Snow-covered mountains have a small
number of people.
Low Population Density is mainly in the Thar Desert and The Himalayan Mountains. They don’t
have land which is easily cultivatable and is not fit for great urbanization.
The places with high population density are in the plains of Kerala than Northern India. The
plains have fertile soil for agriculture and a vast amount of land for urbanization
Population Density- Number of people per unit area. The population density of India
according to the census 2011 was 382 people per sq. km; It varies from Bihar with 1102/sq.
km to Arunachal Pradesh with 17/sq. km.
Population Growth is the change of inhabitants of a country or territory during a specific period.
Population growth can be measured in two ways:
Absolute Number- It is the magnitude of the increase in the population in a specific period.
India’s population has been steadily increasing by about 200 million per decade since 1981.
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Percentage Change- It is the percentage of change in population growth. It is also known as
Growth Rate. India’s Growth rate is gradually decreasing since 1981.
Even though the growth rate of India is decreasing, due to its huge absolute population; The
population of India is still increasing steadily.
Important factors of change in populationBirth Rate- Number of live births per 1000 persons in a year.
Death Rate- Number of deaths per 1000 persons in a year
They affect the country’s population. The birth rate of India had always been greater than the
death rate, but since 1981 the birth rate of India has gradually been decreasing.
Migration- It is the movement of people from one territory to another. It can be internal or
international. Internal migration doesn’t change the population of a country but changes its
composition. International migration changes the country’s population.
People from rural areas move to urban areas in search of employment opportunities and better
living standards. The factors which attract a person to migrate are called pull factors. The factors
due to which people migrate are called push factors. Poverty and Unemployment are the
common push factors.
The urban population has been increasing since 1981. There were 35 cities with populations
larger than 1 million in 2001. In 2011, there are 54 cities with a larger population than 1 million
.Age Composition is the term used to define the number of people in different age groups within
a country. It is an major economical and social life in a country. The population is majorly
divided into three parts;
Below 15 years- They require support economically, medically, and educationally. They are
dependent on the working population.
15-59 years- They are the Working Population. They are economically productive and
biologically reproductive.
Above 59 years- They are less economically productive; They are mostly unproductive and
also dependent on the working population
Age StructureChildren- 34.4%
Adult- 58.7%
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Aged- 6.9%
India is the country with the largest young population.
To compare the number of males to females, we use the concept of Sex Ratio. The sex ratio is the
number of females per 1000 males. In a society where everyone is treated equally, the sex ratio is
almost equal.
In India, the condition of sex ratio has been unfavorable for females; There are 943 females for
1000 males as of 2011. State-wise, Kerala has the greatest ratio of 1084:1000 followed by
Puducherry with 1038:1000. The lowest is Delhi with 866:1000 followed by Haryana with
877:1000mas per 2011.
India has been going towards ways to even the sex ratio by:
Preventing selective abortion of female fetuses.
Enforcing laws banning female foeticide.
The economic performance of a country depends on health, literacy, and occupational structures.
These factors are also included in the census of India.
A literate person is a person who is 7 years old and above and can also read and write any
language. In 1951, the literacy rate was 18.33% which has now increased to 74.04% among them
82.14% are males and 65.46% are females.
Occupational structure refers to the distribution of the population according to different types of
occupations.
Most occupations fall under three types:
Primary- Income is lesser than secondary and tertiary sectors. The jobs in these are mostly
rural.
Secondary- They are well-paying jobs. The jobs are mostly in Industrial Hubs and cities.
Tertiary- They are also well-paying and mostly found in urban areas.
In developed countries, most people are included in the secondary and tertiary sectors because of
high literacy rates, development in technology, and industrialization.
In developing nations, most of the work is found in the primary sector. According to research,
about 64% is found in primary, 13% and 20% in secondary and tertiary while 3% in other
activities. This figure changes according to the development of a country.
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In India, 50% of the population is dependent on the primary sector, and the number of
dependents is decreasing due to development.
Health is also an important factor in the population, and the government of India has taken steps
to improve public health. This has reduced the death rate from 25 people per 1000 in 1951 to 7.2
people in 2011. The life expectancy has also increased from 36.7 years to 67.5 in the same
duration.
Malnutrition, Safe Drinking Water, and Basic Sanitation are major concerns in India. Only 1/3 of
people in rural areas have access to proper nutrition, water, and sanitation.
Adolescents are people between the age of 10 to 19 years. They are the most important resource
of a country. Special attention is needed for them, they require more nutrition than any others due
to their rapid growth. The diet in India given to adolescents is deficient in many nutrients. Due to
this many adolescents are anemic (fewer RBCs in the blood ).
The government of India introduced a family planning program in 1952 to improve individual
health and welfare. The program promotes responsible and planned parenthood voluntarily.
In the year 2000, the National Population Policy provided a policy framework for imparting free
and compulsory education up to 14 years of age. It also focuses on:
Reducing Infant Mortality to 30 per 1000 births
Universal Immunization
Promoting delayed marriage for girls
Making family welfare programs
It focuses on adolescents, it gave special attention to the:
Awareness about Unwanted Pregnancies and STDs
Risk of unprotected sex and access to contraceptives.
Nutritional Supplements
Delayed Marriages and Childbearings
Strong Laws to counter Child Marriage
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