Assertion & Reason Type Questions: Population | Social Studies (SST) Class 9 PDF Download

Direction: In the questions given below, there are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read the statements and choose the correct option:

Q1: Assertion (A): The Northern Plains of India have high to very high population densities.
Reason (R): The terrain of the Northern Plains is rugged and hilly, making it ideal for settlement.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (c) 
The Northern Plains are flat, fertile, and have abundant water—ideal for human settlement. However, the reason states that the terrain is “rugged and hilly,” which is incorrect for the plains. So, A is true, R is false.

Q2: Assertion (A): India's population has steadily increased from 361 million in 1951 to over 1210 million in 2011.
Reason (R): India saw high birth rates and gradually declining death rates until 1980.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (a) 
Both statements are correct. The declining death rates (due to medical improvements) and high birth rates caused a sharp rise in population.

Q3: Assertion (A): Internal migration changes the overall population size of India.
Reason (R): Migration includes the movement of people within the country.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (c)
Internal migration does not change the overall population size of the country—it only redistributes it. So A is false, but R is correct.

Q4: Assertion (A): Adolescents constitute a significant portion of India’s population.
Reason (R): Adolescents fall in the age group of 10 to 19 years.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (a)
Adolescents form about one-fifth of India’s population. Since this age group is defined as 10–19 years, R correctly explains A.

Q5: Assertion (A): The National Population Policy 2000 aimed to promote early marriage and large families.
Reason (R): It focused on improving reproductive health and achieving population stabilization.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (d)
NPP 2000 actually promotes delayed marriage and smaller families. However, it indeed focuses on reproductive health and stabilization—so A is false, R is true.

Q6: Assertion (A): Urban areas in India are witnessing rapid growth due to migration.
Reason (R): Rural areas push people due to poverty and lack of employment while urban areas pull them with better opportunities.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (a)
This push-pull factor directly contributes to increasing urban population. So both A and R are true and R explains A.

Q7: Assertion (A): Bihar has the lowest population density in India.
Reason (R): Population density is calculated as persons per square kilometer.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (d)
Bihar actually has the highest population density (1102 per sq km in 2011). But the method to calculate population density (R) is correct.

Q8: Assertion (A): The rate of population growth in India has been declining since 1981.
Reason (R): Birth rates have started to fall gradually due to better awareness and healthcare.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (a)
India’s growth rate has declined due to falling birth rates post-1981, largely because of better healthcare and family planning initiatives.

Q9: Assertion (A): High birth rates and declining death rates led to population explosion in India till 1980.
Reason (R): Death rates declined due to improvements in healthcare and sanitation.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (a)
Falling death rates without a corresponding drop in birth rates widened the gap, causing population explosion. So, both are true and R explains A.

Q10: Assertion (A): Population growth refers to the absolute number of people added each year.
Reason (R): Population change includes births, deaths, and migration.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (b)
Population growth refers specifically to the increase in population, usually measured in absolute numbers or rate. Population change includes all components of demographic shifts—not just growth—so R is true but does not explain A.