UGC-NET (NTA) POPULATION STUDIES, JANUARY-2025

The concept of inter-generational wealth flow was introduced by John Caldwell, an Australian demographer. This concept is central to his Theory of Fertility Decline, which suggests that fertility patterns are significantly influenced by the direction in which wealth is transferred between generations within a family. According to Caldwell, in traditional societies, wealth typically flows from children to parents, thus encouraging higher fertility.
In contrast, in modern societies, wealth flows from parents to children, which increases the cost of child-rearing and thereby leads to a decline in fertility rates. This theory provides a socio-economic perspective on demographic transition.

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill was passed by the Parliament of India in 2016 and subsequently received the President's assent on December 27, 2016. The act came into force on April 19, 2017. It replaced the earlier Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 and brought India in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The 2016 Act expanded the list of recognized disabilities from 7 to 21 conditions, including autism spectrum disorder, thalassemia, and Parkinson's disease, and increased the reservation in government jobs from 3% to 4%, and in higher education institutions from 3% to 5%.

In the history of Indian censuses, the 1961 Census showed a decline in the total urban population compared to the 1951 Census. However, this was not due to actual depopulation but was the result of a change in the definition and classification of urban areas. Many towns and urban centers were reclassified as rural based on new criteria set for urban classification, which led to a statistical decline in urban population figures.

India is currently in the Phase V of the National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP), which spans from 2021 to 2026. NACP is a flagship program of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Phase V focuses on achieving the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It emphasizes:
• Community-led interventions
• Strengthening health systems
• Improving service delivery
• Increasing awareness and prevention strategies
• Reducing stigma and discrimination.

The Theory of Demographic Transition was first propounded by Frank W. Notestein in the mid-20th century. This theory describes the historical shift from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as a country develops economically. It is typically divided into four stages:
Stage 1: High birth and death rates (preindustrial society)
Stage 2: Death rate declines due to improved healthcare and sanitation; birth rate remains high → population grows rapidly
Stage 3: Birth rate begins to decline → population growth slows
Stage 4: Both birth and death rates are low → population stabilizes
Notestein's work helped shape modern population policy and planning strategies.

A Longitudinal Study Approach is one where the same individuals or groups are observed repeatedly over a period of time to study changes and developments. It is very effective for studying fertility, nuptiality, and even migration (if proper tracking is ensured). However, it is less effective for studying mortality, because deaths are relatively rare events and require large sample sizes and long observation periods to obtain reliable data. Moreover, once an individual dies, they can no longer be observed, limiting the continuity of data collection. Hence, mortality is generally studied more effectively through cross-sectional or vital statistics approaches rather than longitudinal ones.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that the global average temperature has increased by 1.5°C since the Pre-Industrial Era. This period refers roughly to the years before 1850, before the widespread industrialization that began emitting large volumes of greenhouse gases. This temperature benchmark is crucial in global climate negotiations like the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit warming to 1.5°C or 2°C above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

The Census of India was conducted as a synchronous de facto operation (where all data is collected at the same reference date and time across the country) until 1931. After that, due to the increasing complexity and size of the population, synchronous operations were gradually phased out in favor of methods that allowed more flexibility and efficiencу, particularly in 1941 and beyond. The term de facto here means the enumeration of persons where they were found on census night, regardless of where they usually live.

According to the latest estimates by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the world population crossed 8 billion on November 15, 2022. This growth reflects improvements in health care and longevity, although fertility rates are declining in many regions. The global population is expected to continue growing, albeit at a slower rate, reaching around 9.7 billion by 2050.