India : Urbanization (Demography) Part-I

Total Questions: 50

11. Consider the following statements and select the correct answer from the codes given below: [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2017]

Assertion (A): India is a case of an over-urbanized country.

Reason (R): Most of the large cities in India do not have adequate infrastructure.

Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

Correct Answer: (d) (A) is false, but (R) is true
Solution:India is urbanizing rapidly, but it is not a case of an over-urbanized country. India is still waking up to its urban realities and opportunities. As per Census 2011, the population of India is 1210.85 million, with a population of 377.1 million (only 31.1% of total population) residing in the cities.

Hence, given assertion is incorrect. While, the reason is correct as most of the large cities of India do not have adequate infrastructure. For example availability of electricity, drinking water and sanitation facilities, transportation etc. are not increasing as per the requirements of increasing population in these cities.

12. Assertion (A): India's level of urbanization is much lower than that of China. [U.P.U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2010]

Reason (R): Indian cities are poorly planned. Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

Codes:

Correct Answer: (b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
Solution:The level of urbanization in China is much higher than the level of urbanization in India. According to McKinsey Global Institute's research, in 1950, India was a more urban nation than China (17 percent of the population lived in cities, compared with China's 13 percent). But from 1950 to 2005, China urbanized far more rapidly than India, to an urbanization rate of 41 percent, compared with 29 percent in India.

On the other hand, the number of planned cities in India is quite small. Hence, both the assertion and reason are correct but the reason does not explain the assertion correctly.

13. Which of the following statements is correct according to the Census 2001? [U.P. Lower Sub. (Spl.) (Pre) 2002, U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2003]

I. Total urban population of India is 285 million.

II. Contribution of urban population in the total population of India is 27.78 percent.

III. Urban population of India is more than the total population of USA.

IV. Indian urbanization is basically self-reliant urbanization.

Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

Codes:

Correct Answer: (d) All of the above
Solution:As per the question period, all of the given statements were correct. According to the 2001 Census, India's urban popula- tion was 28.6 crore (27.8% of total population), while as per the contemporary data, the population of United States was 28.14 crore (in which urban population was above 75% of total population).

According to the Census 2011, India's total urban population was 377.1 million, which is 31.1 percent of total population of the country and according to latest available data of 2010, USA's population was 308.7 million (in which urban population was above 80% of total population), which is much less than India's urban population.

14. Assertion (A): The urban population of India is more than that of the U.S.A. [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2000, Uttarakhand U.D.A/L.D.A. (Pre) 2003]

Reason (R): The level of urbanization in the U.S.A. is higher than that in India.

Codes:

Correct Answer: (b) Both A and Rare true but R is not the correct explanation of A
Solution:As per the question period, all of the given statements were correct. According to the 2001 Census, India's urban popula- tion was 28.6 crore (27.8% of total population), while as per the contemporary data, the population of United States was 28.14 crore (in which urban population was above 75% of total population). According to the Census 2011, India's total urban population was 377.1 million, which is 31.1 percent of total population of the country and according to latest available data of 2010, USA's population was 308.7 million (in which urban population was above 80% of total population), which is much less than India's urban population.

15. Assertion (A): India's urban population exceeds the total population of USA. [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2002]

Reason (R): India has made a spectacular growth in urbanization.

Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

Codes:

Correct Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Solution:As per the Census 2001, India's urban population was 28.6 crore, while as per the contemporary data, the total population of U.S.A. was 28.14 crore. India has made a spectacular growth in urbanization in recent decades. India is urbanizing rapidly and India's urban population is increasing expeditiously. That is the reason why India's urban population exceeded the total population of USA. Hence, it is clear that both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

16. The expansion of Urban India is a platform for: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2015]

Correct Answer: (d) All of the above
Solution:Urban domiciles differ from rural domiciles in their size (population) and functional basis. Primary economic activities like agriculture, forestry and animal husbandary are the main functions of rural domiciles. Contrary to it, the major functions of urban settlements are related to secondary and tertiary economic activities. Hence urbanization is the basis for creation of improved income opportunities along with industrial and service sector growth.

17. Consider the following statements: [U.P.R.O./A.R.O. (Pre) 2016]

Assertion (A): Urbanization in India has increased rapidly after 2001.

Reason (R): A revolution in mobile communication has been taking place in India.

Select the correct answer from the code given below:

Correct Answer: (b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) does not explain (A)
Solution:According to the 2011 census, the population of India is 1210.85 million, with a population of 377.1 million residing in the cities. While the number of million plus cities in the year 2001 was 35, it increased to 53 in the year 2011, which proves that there has been a rapid increase in urbanization in India after 2001.

The tele-density of India has increased from just 3.58 percent in March, 2001 to 78.13 percent in February, 2015. So, it is true to say that a revolution in mobile communication has been taking place in India. Hence, it is clear that both the given assertion and reason are true, but reason does not explain assertion. The overall tele-density of India stood at 85.76% in end-April, 2024.

18. Which of the following statements regarding urbanization in India is not true? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2002]

Correct Answer: (c) Urbanization of all regions in India has taken place in uniform manner.
Solution:There is extreme heterogeneity in the regional pattern of Indian urbanization. The most urbanized State is Goa, where more than half of the population (as per the Census 2011 data) resides in the cities. Himachal Pradesh is the least urbanized State, where only 10 percent of the population lives in the cities. Thus, urbanization of different regions in India is clearly unequal. All the remaining statements are correct.

19. With reference to 'birth rate' which of the following statement(s) is/are correct? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2021]

1. Urbanization helps in reducing the birth rate.

2. High literacy rate is directly related to low birth rate.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Codes:

Correct Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Solution:Urbanization process can reduce the rate of population in- crease. People in urban areas have better access to family planning and healthcare facilities. It is reported that people in urban areas have low birth rate than those living in rural areas. High literacy rates are also directly related to low birth rates.
  • Urbanization often leads to increased access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities, which can influence family planning decisions and the desire for smaller families. Additionally, the higher cost of living in urban areas compared to rural areas can also be a factor in reducing birth rates.
  • Higher literacy rates, particularly among women, are strongly linked to lower birth rates. Education empowers individuals with knowledge about family planning, career options, and the potential benefits of delaying or limiting childbirth.

20. Urbanization in India has: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2007]

Correct Answer: (a) reduced both birth rate and death rate
Solution:Urbanization is associated with higher economic development through higher engagement in education and work. This reduces fertility rate and birth rate. Higher economic development that is associated with a higher rate of urbanization in India has demanded higher medical facilities.

This, in turn reduces the infant mortality rate and death rate. Urban dwellers benefit from advances in healthcare services. They also become conscious of making them healthy. That is the rea- son why life expectancy at birth is higher for urban dwellers than rural people. Therefore, urbanization is essential for higher overall health outcomes in India.