NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Sociology - The Demographic Structure of the Indian Society

Q1: Explain the basic argument of the theory of the demographic transition. Why is the transition period associated with a ‘population explosion’?
Ans:  The theory of demographic transition links population growth to levels of economic development. It outlines a typical pattern of population changes across different stages:

• Stage I: Primitive Stage(Underdeveloped countries)
  • Low population growth due to high birth and death rates.
  • High birth rates stem from a lack of awareness about family planning.
  • High death rates result from inadequate health care and nutrition.
• Stage II: Developing Countries
  • High birth and death rates, but net growth remains low.
  • Patriarchal societies often prefer male children.
  • Limited access to education and health care contributes to high death rates.
• Stage III: Developed Countries
  • Low birth and death rates due to education and access to contraceptives.
  • Improved health care leads to lower mortality rates.

Transitional Stage: This stage occurs between underdeveloped and developed societies. Here, the population growth rate is very high because:

• Death rates decline rapidly due to better medical care and nutrition.
• Societal adjustments to lower birth rates take longer to occur.

This population explosion is a result of the rapid decline in death rates while birth rates remain high for a time, leading to significant population increases.

Q2: Why did Malthus believe that catastrophic events like famines and epidemics that cause mass deaths were inevitable?
Ans: Thomas Robert Malthus, an English political economist, believed that catastrophic events like famines and epidemics were unavoidable due to the following reasons:

• Population Growth: Malthus argued that human populations grow at a much faster rate than the means of subsistence, such as food and land.
• Geometric vs. Arithmetic Growth: He noted that population increases in geometric progression (e.g., 2, 4, 8) while agricultural production grows in arithmetic progression (e.g., 2, 4, 6).
• Natural Checks: Malthus believed that nature imposes positive checks on population growth, leading to famines and diseases that increase the death rate.
• Balance Restoration: These checks are seen as nature's way of restoring balance between food supply and population size.

In summary, Malthus viewed these catastrophic events as painful but necessary for maintaining equilibrium in human societies.

Q3: What is meant by ‘birth rate’ and ‘death rate*? Explain why the birth rate is relatively slow to fall while the death rate declines much faster.
Ans: Birth rate and death rate are key concepts in demography. Birth rate refers to the total number of live births in a specific area (such as a country or state) during a set period, usually a year. It is calculated as:

• B = Number of births
• P = Total population

The formula for the crude birth rate is: Birth rate = (B / P) x 1000 This rate does not account for the age of the population, making it a crude measure. Factors affecting the birth rate include:

• Age of marriage
• Infertility rates
• Climatic and social conditions
• Religious beliefs
• Education levels

Death rate is the number of deaths per thousand people in a year in a specific area. It is similarly calculated as: Death rate = (Number of deaths / Total population) x 1000 Reasons for the slower decline in the birth rate compared to the death rate include:

• Public health measures and medical advancements can quickly reduce the death rate.
• People generally desire good health and longevity, motivating them to adopt medical and technological solutions.
• The birth rate is influenced by attitudes, beliefs, and values, which change more slowly.
• Religious and socio-cultural factors also play a significant role in maintaining higher birth rates.

Q4: Which states in India have reached or are very near the ‘replacement levels’ of population growth? Which ones still have very high rates of population growth? In your opinion, what could be some of the reasons for these regional differences? 
Ans: Replacement level refers to the birth rate needed for new generations to replace those who die. This level is typically achieved when each couple has two children.
States at the replacement level of population growth: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab.
States very near to the replacement levels of population growth: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and West Bengal.
States having very high rates of population growth: U.P., Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh.

Reasons for regional differences:

• Variations in literacy rates across states.
• Diverse societal conditions influence family size.
• Issues like terrorism and insurgency in regions like Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East.
• Different socio-economic conditions, with states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar having high numbers of people living below the poverty line.
• Cultural beliefs that more children lead to more earning potential.

Q5: What is meant by ‘the age structure’ of the population? Why is it relevant for economic development and growth?
Ans. 

• India has a very young population. The average age of an Indian is less than that for most other countries. Majority of Indians are between the age group of 15 and 64 years.
• The age structure of the population refers to the proportions of persons in different age groups relative to the total population.
• Population under the age of 15 has decreased from 42% in 1971 to 31% in 2011. During this period the ratio of age group 15 to 64 was gone up from 53% to 63.7%.
• Age structure in a country changes with the development of poor medical facilities, the prevalence of disease reduces the life expectancy.
• The age structure of the population can be put in the following age groups:
  0-14 years. [Children]
  15-59 years. [Working population]
  60 + Years. [Old people]

This age structure of the Indian population can be understood by the following table.

This table indicates that the share of the under 15 age group in the total population has come down from a higher level of 42% in 1971 to 34% in 2001 and it is perfected to be reduced to 23% in 2026. It means the birth rate in India is gradually decreasing.

Relevance for economic development and growth:

• Due to the advancement in medical sciences, public health measures and nutrition the life expectancy is at rising. This is due to economic development and growth.
• Need for family planning in being understood. A decrease in 0-14 years age group reveals that National population policy is implemented properly.
• Because of socio-cultural changes in Indian society and the economic growth Age structure of the population is moving towards positive young India.
• Dependency ratio is decreasing and an increase in the working population is causing positive growth in the Indian economy.
• Economic development and improvement in the quality of life improve life expectancy and changes the structures of the population.
• High infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate due to poor economic growth hence an adverse effect of age structure on the population.

Q6: What is meant by the ‘sex ratio’? What are some of the implications of a declining sex ratio? Do you feel that parents still prefer to have sons rather than daughters? What, in your opinion, could be some of the reasons for this preference?
Ans. Sex ratio refers to the number of females per thousand males in a given area at a specified period of time.

• This ratio is an important indicator of gender balance in population.
• Historically there were more females than males in most countries of the world. 
• These phenomena occurred due to two reasons:
  • Girl babies enjoy a better immune system and resistant to diseases in comparison to the male child.
  • Females live longer than males in most societies.
• The ratio between female babies and male babies is roughly 1050 females to 1000 male.
• In India, the sex ratio is declining significantly and continuously for more than a century. From 972 female per thousand males at the turn of the 20th century, the sex ratio declined to 933 at the turn of the 21st century.
• The state-level child sex ratio is alarming. As many as 6 states and union territories have a child sex ratio as low child sex ratio of 793. The highest child sex ratio of 986 is found in Sikkim.
• Sex ratio seems to be declining in countries like India, China, and South Korea.
  In India, parents still prefer a male child. This is basically due to social and cultural reasons. Being an agricultural society the village population preferred the male child to look after the land. The reason for the preference of the male child is definitely not linked with economic reasons. The states like Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, and Maharashtra are the most prosperous states of India and should have the highest child sex ratio, but things are just different.
  The census of 2001 reveals that these are states with the lowest sex ratios i.e., 950 female babies per 1000 male babies. This data is reliable evidence that selective abortion in these states is not due to poverty, ignorance or lack of resource. 
• Predisposing factors for low child sex ratio in India:
  • Religious or Cultural Beliefs: Belief that only son is entitled to perform funeral and related rituals of his parents. The only son is the warriors of the family. In the absence of a male child, the.hansli will not continue.
  • Economic Reasons: The main occupation of Indian society is agriculture. Villagers have thought that landed property cannot be given to girls because after marriage they will go to another village, town or city. Neither girl child can get her share of load nor she can take care of the land.
  • Lack of Awareness: People in Indian society having ignorant conservation attitude is still not ready to give equal status to daughter because they think that during old age they will be dependent on the son. Only he will share food, housing, customs, and responsibilities.
  • Implications of child sex ratio: Low child sex ratio, if continues, will have serious implications on our social network, particularly the Institution of marriage. It will also cause severe law and order problem related to women.