India : Population (Part – V)

Total Questions: 50

1. According to Census 2011, the correct descending order of four districts of Uttar Pradesh having highest literacy rate is: [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2012]

Correct Answer: (b) Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Kanpur City, Auraiya
Solution:According to the provisional figures of Census 2011, the correct descending order of the four districts with the highest literacy rate in Uttar Pradesh was: Ghaziabad (85.00%), Gautam Buddh Nagar (82.20%), Kanpur Nagar (81.31%) and Auraiya (80.25%). Hence option (b) was the correct answer, but according to final data of Census 2011, the descending order of districts with the highest literacy rate in Uttar Pradesh is: Gautam Buddh Nagar > Kanpur Nagar > Auraiya > Etawah > Ghaziabad.

2. According to Census 2011, the average literacy rate of the following four districts in correct descending order is: [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2017]

Correct Answer: (b) Gautam Buddha Nagar, Kanpur Nagar, Auraiya, Etawah
Solution:According to Census 2011, the average literacy rate of the given four districts of U.P. in correct descending order is: Gautam Buddha Nagar (80.1%), Kanpur Nagar (79.7%), Auraiya (78.9%), Etawah (78.4%). These are the top 4 districts of U.P. in terms of average literacy rate.

Regional Variations in Literacy Rabes

  • Kerala ranks first in the country with a literacy rate of 93.91%, closely followed by Lakshadweep (92.28%) and Mizoram(91.58%).
  • Bihar with a literacy rate of 63.82% ranks last in the country, preceded by Arunachal Pradesh (66.95%) and Rajasthan(67.06%).
  • The gap in literacy rates of males and females is lowest in Meghalaya (3.1 percentage points) and less than 5 percentage points in the States of Kerala and Mizoram and between 5 to 10 percentage points in A&N Island, Chandigarh, Goa, Lakshadweep Nagaland, Punjab and Tripura.
  • The gap in literacy rates of males and females is highest in the State of Rajasthan (27.1 percentage points) and much more in the States of Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

3. As per Census 2011, the most literate district of U.P. is: [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2012]

Correct Answer: (a) Gautam Buddha Nagar
Solution:As per final data of Census 2011, Gautam Buddh Nagar (80.1%) is the most literate district of Uttar Pradesh, followed by Kanpur Nagar (79.7%). The literacy rates of Ghaziabad and Lucknow are 78.1% and 77.3% respectively.

Regional Variations in Literacy Rabes

  • Kerala ranks first in the country with a literacy rate of 93.91%, closely followed by Lakshadweep (92.28%) and Mizoram(91.58%).
  • Bihar with a literacy rate of 63.82% ranks last in the country, preceded by Arunachal Pradesh (66.95%) and Rajasthan(67.06%).
  • The gap in literacy rates of males and females is lowest in Meghalaya (3.1 percentage points) and less than 5 percentage points in the States of Kerala and Mizoram and between 5 to 10 percentage points in A&N Island, Chandigarh, Goa, Lakshadweep Nagaland, Punjab and Tripura.
  • The gap in literacy rates of males and females is highest in the State of Rajasthan (27.1 percentage points) and much more in the States of Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

4. In U.P., the district with the highest literacy percentage is: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2006]

Correct Answer: (a) Auraiya
Solution:As per Census 2001, the literacy rate of Uttar Pradesh was 56.3%, in which male literacy rate was at 68.8% and female literacy rate at 42.2%. The five districts with the highest literacy percentage in Uttar Pradesh in 2001 were as follows:

1. Kanpur Nagar                    - 77.63%

2. Auraiya                               - 71.50%

3. Ghaziabad                          -  70.89%

4. Etawah                                - 70.75%

5. Gautam Buddh Nagar     -   69.78%

Thus, Auraiya was the correct answer as Kanpur City was not mentioned in the given options. As per Census 2011, the literacy rate of Uttar Pradesh is 67.7%, in which male and female literacy rate is 77.3% and 57.2% respectively. Accord- ing to Census 2011, the most literate district of Uttar Pradesh is Gautam Buddh Nagar (80.1%).

5. According to 2011 Census figures, which among the following districts in Uttar Pradesh has the lowest female literacy? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2012]

Correct Answer: (d) Rampur
Solution:According to the final data of Census 2011, Shravasti has the lowest female literacy (34.8%) among the districts of Uttar Pradesh. The female literacy rates in the given districts are as follows: Ballia (59.8%), Deoria (59.4%), Gorakhpur (59.4%) and Rampur (44.4%). Hence, among the given districts, Rampur has the lowest female literacy.

Literates and Illiterates by Gender

  • One of the interesting feature of Census 2011 is that out of total literates added during the decade, females out number males.
  • The decadal (from 2001-2011) increase in number of literates among males is 31.98%; while the corresponding increase in case of females is of 49.1%.
  • The above two changes are a clear indication of the fact that gender gap in literacy is shrinking in the country.
  • Lakshadweep(96.11%) hold the first position in the country with respect to male literacy rate; while Kerala (96.02%) ranks second
    ∗ Bihar(73.39%) state has recorded the lowest male literacy rate
  • Kerala state holds the first rank, in female literacy with 91.98%.
    ∗ Rajasthan (52.66%) state has recorded the lowest female literacy rate

6. According to Census 2011, which of the following statements about Uttar Pradesh are correct? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2012]

1. The district having lowest literacy rate is Shravasti.

2. The district having the highest sex-ratio is Deoria.

3. The district having the lowest density of population is Lalitpur.

4. On the basis of Nagar Nigam area population, the most populous city in the State is Kanpur.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: (b) 1 and 3
Solution:As per final data of Census 2011, Shravasti has the lowest literacy rate (46.7%), Jaunpur has the highest sex-ratio (1024) and Lalitpur has the lowest population density (242) in Uttar Pradesh. While on the basis of population of municipal corporation area, the most populous city of the State is Ghaziabad (3162547). Hence, Statement 1 and 3 are correct.

7. Which one of the following statements is correct? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2008]

Correct Answer: (b) Highest sex-ratio is observed during the Census of 1901.
Solution:As per data of Census 1901 to 2011, the highest sex-ratio (972/1000) was found in the 1901 Census. Hence, statement of option (b) is correct while statements of other options are incorrect. As per 2011 Census, the sex-ratio in the country is 943.
  • Sex Composition of the human population is one of the basic demographic characteristics; as changes in sex composition largely reflect the underlying socio-economic and cultural patterns of society in different ways.
    ∗ It is an important social indicator to measure the extent of prevailing equity between males and females at a given point in time
    ∗ It also becomes important for various types of planning and for the analysis of other demographic characteristics such as mortality, migration, marital status, economic characteristics, etc.
  • Sex composition is expressed with the help of a ratio known as sex ratio.
    ∗ SEX RATIO is defined as "number of females per 1000 males in the population".
    ∗ Thus, a sex ratio of 1000 implies complete parity between the two sexes.
    ∗ Ratios above 1000 indicate excess of females over males, those below 1000 indicate.

8. According to the latest Census figures sex-ratio in India is: [I.A.S. (Pre) 1997]

Correct Answer: (d) fluctuating
Solution:The sex-ratio in India has declined from 972 in 1901 to 927 in 1991. As per Census 2001, the sex-ratio of India has increased from 927 to 933 in the year 2001 and as per Census 2011, it has increased to 943.
  • Sex Composition of the human population is one of the basic demographic characteristics; as changes in sex composition largely reflect the underlying socio-economic and cultural patterns of society in different ways.
    ∗ It is an important social indicator to measure the extent of prevailing equity between males and females at a given point in time
    ∗ It also becomes important for various types of planning and for the analysis of other demographic characteristics such as mortality, migration, marital status, economic characteristics, etc.
  • Sex composition is expressed with the help of a ratio known as sex ratio.
    ∗ SEX RATIO is defined as "number of females per 1000 males in the population".
    ∗ Thus, a sex ratio of 1000 implies complete parity between the two sexes.
    ∗ Ratios above 1000 indicate excess of females over males, those below 1000 indicate.

9. Out of the following during which Census decade, sex- ratio in India recorded sharpest decline? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2019]

Correct Answer: (b) 1961-71
Solution:
Census YearSex Ratio
1931950
1941945
1951946
1961941
1971930
1981934
1991927
2001933
2011943

Hence, among the given options, during 1961-71 Census decade, sex-ratio in India recorded sharpest decline.

10. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? [U.P. U.D.A../L.D.A. (Pre) 2013]

Census YearSex Ratio in India
(a) 1951946
(b) 1971930
(c) 1991927
(d) 2011925
Correct Answer: (d)
Solution:
Census YearSex Ratio
1931950
1941945
1951946
1961941
1971930
1981934
1991927
2001933
2011943

 Hence, among the given options, during 1961-71 Census decade, sex-ratio in India recorded sharpest decline.