India : Population (Demography) Part-I

Total Questions: 50

41. Among which of the following Census years the decadal growth rate of population had remained negative? [U.P.U.D.A./L.D.A. (Spl.) (Mains) 2010]

Correct Answer: (c) 1921
Solution:The year 1921 has been the only Census year in the history of the Indian Census in which the decadal growth rate of population was negative (-0.31%). After that year population of India gradually registered accelerated growth. Hence, 1921 is called as the year of 'Great Divide' or 'Demographic Divide'.
  • The history of the census began with 1800 when England had begun its Census.
  • In its continuation, a census was conducted in Allahabad (1824) and in Banaras (1827-28) by James Prinsep.
  • The first complete census of an Indian city was conducted in 1830 by Henry Walter in Dacca (now Dhaka).
  • The Second Census was conducted in 1836-37 by Fort St. George.
    In 1849, the Government of India ordered the local governments to conduct quinquennial (five-yearly) returns of population.
  • First Non-synchronous Census: It was conducted in India in 1872 during the reign of Governor-General Lord Mayo.
  • First Synchronous Census: The first synchronous census was taken under British rule on February 17, 1881, by W.C. Plowden (Census Commissioner of India).
  • Since then, censuses have been undertaken uninterruptedly once every ten years.

42. Assertion (A): India has experienced a phenomenal growth of population since 1951. [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2000]

Reason (R): 1951 is called the demographic divide in India's demographic history.

Codes:

Correct Answer: (c) A is true, but R is false.
Solution:In the year 1951, the population of India was about 36 crore, which became more than 102 crore in Census 2001. There- fore, from 1951 to 2001, India's population almost tripled. The year 1921 is called 'the great divide year' in the demographic history of India. Hence, Statement is true but Reason is false. As per Census 2011, India's population became more than 121 crore.

43. The highest average annual exponential growth rate in India's population has been recorded during the decade of: [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2006]

Correct Answer: (c) 1971-81
Solution:The highest average annual exponential growth rate (2.22%) in India's population was recorded in the decade of 1971-81. Whereas in the decade 2001-2011, the average annual exponential growth rate was recorded at 1.64 percent.
Decade

Average annual exponential

growth rate (percent)

1951-611.96
1961-712.20
1971-812.22
1981-912.16
1991-20011.97
2001-111.64

44. According to the Census of 2001, the annual exponential growth rate of the population in India during the last decade was: [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2002]

Correct Answer: (c) 1.9 percent
Solution:As per Census 2011, the annual exponential growth rate (Average Annual Population Growth) of India's population in the decade 1991-2001 was 1.97 percent. This is 1.64 percent as per 2011 Census.

The Census of India 2011 was organized in two stages as trails House listing and Housing Census and Population Enumeration. The population of India has been augmented by more than 181 million during the decade 2001-2011. As per the 2011 Census population report of India is pegged at 1.21 billion, a surge of more than 181 million in the last 10 years. Here we are giving the key facts and data of the Census of India.

The 15th Census of India and the 7th Census of Independent India-2011 was started on 1st April 2010 with President being the first citizen to be enumerated, followed by the Vice President of India. The slogan of census 2011 was 'Our Census, Our future'. C. Chandramouli was the Census Commissioner of India 2011.

45. Consider the following statements: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2009]

1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population of India has increased more than three times.

2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Solution:The annual average growth rate of India's population was 1.25 percent in Census 1951, while it was 1.97 percent in Census 2001. In the year 1951, the population density in India was 117 people per sq. km, which increased to 325 persons per sq. km in 2001. Hence both the given statements are incorrect. As per Census 2011, India's population density is 382 persons per sq. km and the average annual exponential growth rate of population is 1.64 percent.

46. Consider the following statements and select the correct answer from the code given below: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2006]

1. India's population is characterized by a high growth rate.

2. With the current growth rate, it is likely to overtake China in the near future.

3. Out of every six persons of the world, one is an Indian. 4. About 40% of the India's population is below the poverty line level.

Code:

Correct Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 are correct
Solution:If the year of 1921 Census is omitted, the decadal population growth rate of India has been continuously increasing from 1901 to 1971. The decade 1961-71 was the decade of the highest decadal growth (24.80%) in India.

After the year 1971, the decadal growth rate is declining but overall India's population is growing at a rapid pace. The population of India in- creased by 18.23 crore in the decade 1991-2001. As per the UN Report of 2024, India's population has overtaken China.

According to the United Nations Population Fund's 2003 annual report, the total population of the world was 6.3 billion while as per 2001 Census, the total population of India was 102.87 crore, that is one of the six persons in the world is an Indian.

The population of people living below the poverty line in India was less than 40 percent during the question period. As per official figure, about 21.92 percent of people living below the poverty line in the year 2011-12. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.

47. What is the total population of India? [B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2008]

Correct Answer: (d) None of these
Solution:As per Census 2001, the total population of India was 1,028,737,436 while according to the Census 2011, the total population of India is 1,21,08,54,977 in which the population of male is 62,32,70,258 and population of females is 58,75,84,719.

National Population Register (NPR)

  • The NPR is a register of usual residents of the country. It is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR.
  • According to the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, a usual resident is:
  • a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more; or
  • a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more.
  • It includes both Indian citizens as well as a foreign citizen.

48. Population of India according to 1991 Census was: [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1996]

Correct Answer: (c) 84.6 crore
Solution:According to the Census 1991, the total population of India was 846421039 (84.6 crore). As per Census 2011, the total population of India is 1210854977. According to 'State of World Population, 2024' Report, population of India is at 1441.7 mil- lion in 2024. Now, India is the largest populated country in the world and China has second position in the world.

49. Consider the following statements and select the correct answer from the code below: [U.P.P.C.S. (Spl.) (Mains) 2008]

1. India has 16% of the world's population and 2.4% of the Earth's land area.

2. India has 24% of the world's population and 1.6% of Earth's land area.

3. In the yearly growth of world's population, India's share is 14 millions and china's share is 18 milions.

4. In the yearly growth of world's population India's share 110is 18 millions and China's share 10 milions.

Correct Answer: (d) 1 and 4
Solution:As per Census 2001 Statement (2) and (3) are incorrect, while Statements (1) and (4) are correct.
  • Population Census is the total process of collecting, compiling, analyzing and disseminating demographic, economic and social data pertaining, at a specific time, of all persons in a country or a well-defined part of a country.
  • It also provides the trends in population characteristics.
  • The Indian Census is one of the largest administrative exercises undertaken in the world.
  • Nodal Ministry:
  • The decennial Census is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • Until 1951, the Census Organisation was set up on an ad-hoc basis for each Census.

50. Which one of the following is not true according to Census 2011? [Uttarakhand Lower (Sub.) (Pre) 2010]

Correct Answer: (a) India accounts for 18.5% of the World Population.
Solution:As per Census 2011, the facts mentioned in options (b), (c) and (d) are true. Statement of option (a) is not true as India is home to about 17.5 percent of the World Population.
  • Population Census is the total process of collecting, compiling, analyzing and disseminating demographic, economic and social data pertaining, at a specific time, of all persons in a country or a well-defined part of a country.
  • It also provides the trends in population characteristics.
  • The Indian Census is one of the largest administrative exercises undertaken in the world.
  • Nodal Ministry:
  • The decennial Census is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • Until 1951, the Census Organisation was set up on an ad-hoc basis for each Census.