Indian Society
Population and Associated Issues
GS Paper I
Population and Associated Issues — Quick Revision
One-page UPSC revision on India's population: Census 2011 and NFHS-5 figures, demographic terms, phases of growth, dividend, ageing and population policy.
SyllabusGS I · Population and associated issues
A last-week sheet on population. Memorise the numbers with their sources; for Mains, remember the argument: from “too many people” to “human capital and ageing”.
Core Numbers
| Indicator | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 121.09 crore | Census 2011 |
| Decadal growth | 17.7% (2001–11); 21.5% (1991–2001) | Census 2011 |
| Density | 382 per sq km | Census 2011 |
| Sex ratio / child sex ratio | 943 / 919 | Census 2011 |
| Elderly (60+) | 8.6% | Census 2011 |
| Migrants (last residence) | 45.6 crore (about 37%) | Census 2011 |
| TFR | 2.0 | NFHS-5 (2019–21) |
| Highest / lowest TFR | Bihar (about 3.0) / Sikkim (about 1.1) | NFHS-5 (2019–21) |
Terms
| Term | One-liner |
|---|---|
| Replacement TFR | About 2.1 |
| Population momentum | Growth continues after TFR falls, due to a young age structure |
| Dependency ratio | Dependants per working-age person |
| Demographic dividend | Growth potential of a high working-age share |
Phases of Growth
| Period | Phase |
|---|---|
| 1901–21 | Stagnant (negative growth in 1911–21) |
| 1921–51 | Steady growth — 1921 the “great divide” |
| 1951–81 | Population explosion |
| 1981 onwards | High growth with definite slowdown |
Policy Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1952 | First national family planning programme in the world |
| 1976 | National Population Policy statement; 42nd Amendment seat freeze |
| 1994 | ICPD, Cairo — rights and choice |
| 2000 | NPP 2000; National Commission on Population |
| 2001 | 84th Amendment — freeze till first Census after 2026 |
| 2003 | Javed v. State of Haryana — two-child norm for panchayat candidates upheld |
| 2016 | Mission Parivar Vikas — 146 districts, seven States |
High-yield facts
- Dividend peak: around 2041, working-age share about 59% (Economic Survey 2018-19).
- Elderly share projected above 20% by 2050 (UNFPA India Ageing Report 2023).
- India overtook China as the most populous country in April 2023 (UN DESA projection).
- Next Census reference date: 1 March 2027; first digital Census; includes caste enumeration.
Traps
- Below-replacement TFR does not mean immediate population decline.
- 1921, not 1951, is the year of the great divide.
- NPP 2000’s long-term goal is a stable population by 2045, not 2050.
Related Topics
- India’s Demography and Population Policy
- Population — practice questions
- Human and Population Geography
- All quick revision sheets
Advertisement