POPULATION

The term "population" generally refers to the total number of individuals of a species, people in a community, or inhabitants in a particular geographic area. 

 A Census is an official enumeration of the population done periodically. The first census was held in 1872 in India. It has been held every ten years since 1881.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 census was postponed to 2022. Covers various factors like population growth rate, the percentage of different age groups within the population, the literacy rates, the sex ratio, urban-rural population ratios, etc.

1. India’s population size and distribution

• India’s population as of 2011 stood at 1.21 million. It comprises 17.5% of the world's population with 2.4 %of the world’s land area. India stood as the second-largest populated country in the world.
• Half of the Indian population lives in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
• Uttar Pradesh tops with more than 19, 98, 12,341 population and Sikkim least with 6,10577population.
• The density of population: the average number of persons per square unit of area. The population density of India is 464 per square km.

Stages of population growth 

• Phase-1 [1901-1921] period of stagnant population: This phase is also known as the Primitive Demographic Transition Stage. Very high Birth Rate and Death Rate and Low life expectancy. Epidemics, famines, droughts, lakhs of Indian soldiers in World War I. The year 1921 is known as the year of the Demographic Divide. There is an absolute decline in population numbers.
• Phase -2 [1921-1951] - period of steady growth: The birth rate was high and the death rate was reduced increasing the growth. The government started food supply in drought-prone areas through the PDS system and increased vaccinations through the medical revolution. As a result, the population reaches 361 million.
• Phase -3 [1951-1981]- period of rapid population growth: The population increased from 361 million to 683.3 million in 1981. Health facilities and developmental activities are improved. This phase is considered a population explosion. The highest growth rate was in 1971- 2.48%).
• Phase-4-[1981-2011]- period of high population growth rate: The growth rate was still high but it started declining after 1981. The birth and death rates declined rapidly. Although in the 2001 Census India added 182 million people over the 1991 Census. In 2011 180 million people were added over the 2001 Census which implies a definite decline in growth rate in percentage and absolute terms. Since the 2001 census, India has continued with a consistent irreversible population growth rate. In 2011 there was a decline in the child population below 14 years of age.

3. Population Composition

Population composition characteristics such as age and sex, place of residence, ethnic characteristics, tribes, language, religion, marital status, literacy and education, occupational characteristics, etc.
 

Age Composition

The population refers to the number of people in different age groups in a country.

• Young Population (below 15 years): They are economically unproductive and depend on their parents for food, clothing, education and medical care.
• Working-age Population (15-59 years): They are an economically productive segment of the population.
• Elderly Population (Above 59 years): They can be economically productive and may have retired.

Sex ratio: The number of females per thousand males. According to the 2011 census 933 females per thousand males.[Rural 946 and urban 900]. The state with the highest Female sex ratio is Kerala 1058 and the lowest is Haryana 861. 

Literacy rates: Literacy is a very important quality of the population for economic development. A low literacy rate is a serious threat to the country’s economic development. India’s literacy rate is s 74.04 per cent, 82.14 for males and 65.46 for females. The highest literacy rate in Kerala with 93.91% and the lowest literacy rate is in Bihar at 63.82 %.

The occupational structure of the population: The total number of the workforce engaged in different sectors of the economy is said to be the occupational structure of the population.

Health: The health conditions of the Indian population have increased significantly.  Malnutrition, safe drinking water pure air etc. Are to be tackled.

4. National Population Policy 2000

The National Population Policy 2000 refers to a policy document formulated by the Government of India to address issues related to population control, family planning, and reproductive health. It was approved by the Union Cabinet on February 2, 2000. 

Objective 

• To address the unmet needs for contraception, healthcare infrastructure, and health personnel, and provide integrated service delivery for basic reproductive and child healthcare.
•  To reduce the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) to replacement levels by 2010.
•  To achieve a stable population by 2045. 

Features of National Population Policy.

• To encourage voluntary and informed choices and citizens’ agreeability to achieve maximum benefits from reproductive health services.
• Free and compulsory education to the children age of 14 years, to reduce the dropout rates.
• Decreasing the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) to under 30 per 1000 live births in the country (to be achieved by 2010]
• Reducing the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) to under 100 per 1 lakh live births (to be achieved by 2010]
• Achieving universal immunization for all children against vaccine-preventable diseases.
• Encouraging delayed marriage for girls 
• Achieving 80 per cent institutional deliveries and 100 per cent deliveries Attaining 100% registration of pregnancies, births, deaths and marriages.
• Creating awareness of the spread of AIDS, reproductive tract infections (RTI) and sexually transmitted infections (STI).