Q.1. What are the main causes of rapid population growth in India? Explain any three. (CBSE 2010)
Ans.
India's population has shown significant growth over the decades, reflecting various demographic trends and factors.
Historical Population Trends
- India's population
- 1951: 361 million
- 2001: 1.028 billion (approximately 1.03 billion)
- India accounts for 16.7% of the world’s population, making it the second most populous country globally after China.
Factors Contributing to Population Growth
(i) High Birth Rates:
- Birth rates in India have historically been high.
- High fertility rates have been a primary factor contributing to population growth.
(ii) Declining Death Rates:
- Improvement in medical facilities and public health measures has led to a rapid decline in death rates.
- Advancements in medical science, control of epidemics, and better healthcare infrastructure have further reduced mortality rates.
- Decrease in infant mortality and improved nutrition levels due to better livelihood opportunities have also played a role.
- The natural increase in population (difference between birth and death rates) has been significant due to high birth rates and declining death rates.
(iii) Migration
- Migration is the movement of people across regions and territories, either internal or international.
- Internal migration does not affect overall population size but changes distribution within the country.
- In India, there is significant rural-to-urban migration due to poverty and unemployment in rural areas and better opportunities in cities.
- Migration impacts population size and composition, affecting age and sex distribution.
- The urban population in India increased from 17.29% in 1951 to 31.80% in 2011.
- The number of million-plus cities rose from 35 in 2001 to 53 in 2011 and reached 59 in 2023.
Q.2. Describe three methods to show how the population of a nation can be planned.
Ans.
1. Managing Birth and Death Rates
- Utilize Medical Advancements: Leverage progress in medical science and public health to lower death rates.
- Focus on Birth Rate Reduction: Address the need for managing birth rates to alleviate strain on resources and socio-economic challenges.
2. National Policies and Programs
- Implement Family Planning Initiatives: Promote effective family planning methods through national policies.
- Adopt Population Control Policies: Establish comprehensive strategies to regulate population growth.
3. Effective Implementation Strategies
- Motivational Campaigns: Use mass media platforms to educate the public on the importance of family planning.
- Accessible Contraception Services: Ensure widespread availability and affordability of contraception in both urban and rural areas.
4. Promoting Social Changes
- Encourage Delayed Marriage: Promote delaying marriage and childbirth to reduce early and unplanned pregnancies.
- Legal Measures: Strengthen legal frameworks to prevent child marriages and support population control efforts.
Q.3. What is the importance of family planning? Discuss how it can help the country.
Ans.
- Family planning is a comprehensive and successful approach to population control, initiated by the Government of India in 1952 with the aim of improving individual health and welfare.
- The primary objective of family planning is to reduce the birth rate by encouraging the acceptance of a small family size as ideal, alongside providing necessary supplies and services for birth control.
- Given India's high population density, family planning plays a crucial role in controlling population growth and alleviating pressure on limited natural resources.
- The family welfare program advocates for responsible and voluntary family planning, enabling families to ensure proper education and healthcare for their children and family members with a smaller family size.
- Embracing family planning leads to improvements in nutrition levels, living standards, health standards, and literacy rates, ultimately reducing the burden on the government to provide extensive health and welfare programs while also addressing issues like poverty, unemployment, malnutrition, and shortages of essential resources like food, water, sanitation, and housing.
Q.4. Define the terms, age structure, death rate and birth rate. (V. Important)
Ans.
Age Structure: The age structure or age composition of a population refers to the grouping of the population according to the number of people in different age groups in a country. The population within the age group of 0–14 years is called the child population, those within age group 15–59 years is the working population and those above 60 years in age are the aged. A age structure diagram, also called the age sex pyramid or population pyramid, is a graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population with the help of back to back bar graphs representing the age groups.
Death rate: Death rate is the number of deaths per thousand persons in a year.
Birth rate: Birth rate is the number of live births per thousand persons in a year.
Birth rate and death rate are two main components of population growth and the difference between them gives the natural increase of population in a country.
Q.5. What are the main features of the National Population Policy 2000 ?
Ans.
The National Population Policy 2000 in India is a concerted effort aimed at enhancing the overall quality of the population through various strategic initiatives:
Policy Objectives
Reducing Infant Mortality Rate
- Target: Decrease infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 live births.
Universal Immunisation
- Goal: Achieve universal immunisation of children against all vaccine preventable diseases.
Education for All
- Initiative: Impart free and compulsory school education for children up to 14 years of age.
Promoting Social Change
- Strategy: Encourage delayed marriage and delayed childbearing among girls.
Community-Centric Approach
- Approach: Transform family welfare into a people-centered programme, fostering public participation.
Focus Areas
- Adolescent Health: Emphasizes nutritional requirements and sexual protection for adolescents to safeguard their future health.
Q.6. Write a note on the adolescent population of India. (Important)
OR
Give one health problem which is common among adolescent girls. Explain the needs of adolescents which the National Population Policy 2000 focuses on.
Ans.
- The Indian population's adolescent segment is notably large, comprising one-fifth of the total population.
- Adolescents, typically aged between 10 to 19 years, represent a vital resource for the nation's future development.
- Adolescents have higher nutritional requirements compared to children or adults, and inadequate nutrition can result in deficiencies and stunted growth.
- Despite their significance, adolescents in India often face dietary inadequacies across all essential nutrients, contributing to widespread issues like anaemia among adolescent girls.
- Unfortunately, the problems faced by adolescent girls have not received sufficient attention in the country's development initiatives, highlighting the need for increased awareness and sensitivity to their challenges.
- Enhancing literacy and education among adolescent girls can play a crucial role in raising awareness and addressing their health and nutritional needs effectively.
Needs of adolescents which the National Population Policy 2000 focuses on:
- Ensuring free and compulsory school education for children up to the age of 14 years.
- Targeting a reduction in the infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 live births.
- Achieving universal immunization of children against all vaccine-preventable diseases.
- Promoting delayed marriage for girls, thereby supporting their health and well-being.
- Establishing family welfare as a people-centered program, emphasizing the importance of community involvement and participation in addressing population-related issues.
Q.7. Why is the study of age composition of population important? Write a brief note.
Ans.
Age Composition and Its Significance
- The age composition of a population refers to the distribution of people across different age groups within a country.
- It is a fundamental characteristic of a population and plays a crucial role in determining social and economic dynamics.
- Age directly influences an individual's role in the economy, as both a consumer and producer, making it a key factor in economic analysis.
- Understanding the age composition is essential for framing effective population policies and programs, as it informs decisions regarding social welfare, healthcare, and education.
Impact on Economic Prosperity
- A significant proportion of the population in the working-age group indicates greater potential for development and economic prosperity.
- Individuals in this demographic segment are both economically productive and biologically reproductive, driving the country's progress and growth.
- They bear the responsibility for the nation's advancement, contributing to its workforce and sustaining economic activities.
Dependency Ratio Considerations
- The percentage of children and elderly individuals directly impacts the dependency ratio, as they rely on others for support and are not active contributors to the economy.
- A higher proportion of dependents places a greater burden on the working-age population, requiring them to provide essential needs such as food, clothing, healthcare, and education.
- Government expenditure on welfare programs and healthcare increases when the percentage of children and elderly population is high, affecting budget allocations and resource distribution.
Developmental Implications
- The distribution of population across different age groups significantly influences a country's level of development.
- A balanced age composition, with a substantial working-age population, is conducive to economic growth and development.
- Disparities in age distribution can impact developmental outcomes, requiring tailored policies and interventions to address specific demographic challenges.
Q.8. Discuss the factors responsible for distribution of population in India.
(CBSE 2010)
Ans. The distribution of population in India is not uniform. While Uttar Pradesh has a population size of 166 million, the Himalayan state of Sikkim has a population of just 0.5 million. Almost half of India’s population lives in just five states – Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
The main factors responsible for uneven distribution of population in India are as follows.
Climate : Areas with favourable climate and high rainfall like the coastal plain and the Northern Plains have a high population density. Heavy monsoon rains brings agricultural prosperity in these areas and support a big density of population. On the other hand, regions with harsh climate like the Himalayan region and the Indian desert have sparse population. Thus, Rajasthan, the largest state in terms of size, has only 5.5 per cent of the total population of India.
Relief : The varied relief features of the vast country has influenced the distribution of population. As such the Northern Plains with flat, fertile terrain and the coastal plains have higher population densities. The peninsular states with hilly, dissected and rocky terrain have moderate densities. While the mountainous region in the north and northeast have sparse population on account of the rugged terrain.
Soil : The fertile alluvial soil of the plains are favourable for agriculture and support large populations. Areas with shallow and less fertile soil have lesser populations.
Q.9. Discuss the advantage of having a healthy population. (Important)
Ans.
- Health is an important component of population composition. The quality of the population depends upon their good health. It affects the process of development.
- A healthy population is physically strong and mentally active. They are economically more productive and contribute towards the economic prosperity of a country.
- Healthy people can work hard and earn enough to support their family members. This reduces poverty and raises standard of living of the population.
- A healthy population is socially more active. they have more thinking and reasoning power, so they can remove social evils and lead to social progress.
- The goverment can concentrate on development projects rather than diverting large share of its resources on health care programmes for the sick and diseased people.
- Thus, healthy population is contributive towards economic, social, cultural and political development of a country.
Q.10. Discuss the advantage of having a higher percentage of young people in a country. (Important)
Ans.
Advantages of having a higher percentage of young people in a country are discussed as follows:
- Young people are vital national assets, renowned for their exceptional work efficiency and significant representation in the workforce.
- They contribute significantly to economic development, particularly in countries like India where their presence enhances agricultural productivity and fuels industrial progress.
- Their innovative spirit drives technological advancements, shaping the nation's trajectory towards advancement and prosperity.
- Socially and culturally, the youth spearhead movements for reform, challenging age-old norms and advocating for societal progress.
- Biologically, they represent the most productive segment of the population, ensuring a continuous supply of future human resources.
- A higher proportion of young people also correlates with a healthier population profile, resulting in reduced healthcare expenditures and overall well-being.