Key Points

Demography is the systematic study of population, analyzing trends in size, structure, and distribution, as well as processes like births, deaths, and migration.

Thomas Malthus argued that population grows geometrically (like 2, 4, 8) while food supply grows arithmetically (like 2, 4, 6), leading to inevitable 'positive checks' like famine and disease to control population.

This theory outlines three stages of population growth linked to economic development, moving from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates. The middle 'transitional' stage is marked by a 'population explosion' due to a rapid fall in death rates while birth rates remain high.

In India, censuses began between 1867-72 under the British. Regular ten-yearly (decennial) censuses have been conducted since 1881, making the Indian census the largest such exercise in the world.

Essential concepts include the Birth Rate (live births per 1000 people), Death Rate (deaths per 1000 people), and the Rate of Natural Increase (the difference between birth and death rates).

India's population growth rate increased substantially after 1921. This was because the death rate fell sharply due to better control of famines and diseases, while the birth rate declined much more slowly.

Between 1911 and 1921, India experienced a negative population growth rate primarily because of the influenza epidemic of 1918-19, which killed about 5 percent of the total population.

India has a young population and a large working-age group (15-64 years), which creates a 'demographic dividend'. This potential benefit depends on the education and employment of the young labor force.

The sex ratio is the number of females per 1000 males. India has experienced a declining sex ratio for over a century, which is a significant social concern.

The child sex ratio (0-6 years) has seen a drastic decline, falling to 919 in the 2011 census. This trend is more alarming than the decline in the overall sex ratio.

The decline is attributed to strong 'son preference', leading to neglect of girl babies, female infanticide, and the misuse of modern medical technology for sex-selective abortions.

The lowest child sex ratios are found in some of the most economically prosperous states, such as Haryana and Punjab, indicating the issue is not caused by poverty or ignorance.

Literacy is a key instrument of empowerment. While literacy rates have improved, significant inequalities persist based on gender, region, and social groups like Scheduled Castes and Tribes.

The majority of India's population (68.8 percent in 2011) lives in rural areas, but the urban population is steadily increasing due to rural-to-urban migration.

People migrate to cities in search of work, due to the decline of common property resources in villages, and for the relative anonymity that cities offer, which can protect against caste-based discrimination.

India was one of the first countries to announce a population policy in 1952, with the creation of the National Family Planning Programme.

During the National Emergency (1975-76), the government implemented a coercive program of mass sterilization to control population growth, which led to widespread opposition.

After the Emergency, the program was renamed the National Family Welfare Programme, using voluntary methods. The National Population Policy (2000) and National Health Policy (2017) now guide India's approach.