Topic (ix) — Demography, Census
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Part of the full combined notes. · 2 PYQ callouts inside.
🔷 TOPIC (ix) — DEMOGRAPHY — CENSUS, ITS FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS
Syllabus topic (ix) of 10 · runs until Topic (x)
Covers: Demography & demographic transition · the population cycle · types of demography · four stages of Indian demographic history · Census — features & functions · background of the Census of India · Census 2011 data · ➕ added: national headline figures and Nagaland's negative growth 🎯 Asked in the papers: 2024 · Q79 — a feature of the census → Simultaneity · 2022 · Q40 — highest negative decadal growth → Nagaland · 2022 · Q36 — demographic sex ratio
Demography: Derived from two Greek words
- "Demos" — "the people"
- "Graphy" — Recording / writing / measuring something.
Study of population of a country or place. Term "Demography" Guillard (1855) Father of "Demography" John Graunt (Natural & Political observation (1662))
Deals with Fertility, Marriage, Mortality, Migration, Social mobility. Mainly deals with: Migration, Birth rate, Death rate.
1. Demography and Demographic Transition
1.1 Demographic Transition
Shift from high birth rate and high infant death rate to low birth rate and low infant death rate with minimum education & technology.
1.2 Demographic Transition Model (Population Cycle)
It shows the growth rates in populations and effect on population. Divided in four stages:
Stage 1 - High Fluctuating (High stationary)
- Both Birth rate and Death rate are both high. * Population growth slow and fluctuating.
| BR Reasons | DR Reasons |
|---|---|
| • Family planning • Religious beliefs • Child - Economic Asset | • Diseases • Famine • clean water & sanitation • war • Education |
| e.g.: Britain in 18th Century & (LEDC's today) |
Stage 2 — Early Expanding
- Birth rate remains high, Death rate falls. * Population begins to rise steadily.
| Death Rate Reasons! - |
|---|
| • Improved H.care • Improved Hygiene • Improved Food Production • Less infant mortality rate. |
| e.g.: Britain in 19th Century, Bangladesh, Nigeria. |
Stage 3 — Late Expanding
- Birth rate starts to fall. Death rate starts to fall. * Population rising.
| Reasons — |
|---|
| • Family planning • Low infant mortality. • Increased standard of living • changing status of women. |
| e.g.: Britain in Late 19th & early 20th century ; China, Brazil, India. |
Stage 4 — Low Fluctuating (low stationary)
- Birth rate and Death rate both low. * Population steady. e.g.: USA, Sweden, Japan, Britain.
Stage 5 — Declining stage. BR < DR (Germany, Hungary).
- Model Assumes all countries pass through all four stages.
- Assumes fall in death rate in stage (2) is because of Industrialisation.
- Countries that grew as a consequence of emigration did not pass through early stages of model (USA, Canada, Australia).
Demographic Dividend: When the working population of a country is more than non-working population. A.K.A (Demographic Bonus) Demographic Burden: Working population is less than non-working population. Doubling time: It is number of years required to double the population of a country / Area at a given growth rate.
Father of "Demographic studies" — Karl Marx
2. Types of Demography
**1. Formal Demography ** Mathematical study / statistical Analysis - of numbers (population). e.g. No. of males / No. of Females, No. of employed / unemployed people.
**2. Social Demography ** Deals with the changes and consequences due to population. e.g.: Birth rate, Death rate, emigration etc.
3. Four Stages of Indian Demographic History
- Period of stagnant Population (1901-1921) (Population more or less stagnant)
- Period of steady Growth (1921-1951) (More than 1% Growth rate / year) Fertility Mortality.
- Period of Rapid High Growth (1951-1981) (Growth rate > 2% / year) Period of population Explosion
- Period of High Growth with definite signs of slowing down. (1981-2011) 2.22% (1971) 1.64% (2011) world (1.23% GR)
* 1921 Year of Great Demographic Divide. (After this, there was continuous increase in population).
| Antinatalist policy | Vs | Pronatalist Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Govt policy to slow down population | Govt Policy to Increase the population of country. | |
| e.g; China (one child policy) | e.g; Hungary, Japan etc. |
4. Census
Complete enumeration method which systematically records information about the members of given population. e.g; Housing, culture, Business, Agriculture etc.
4.1 Features of the Census
"One of the features of the census is:" a) Defining boundaries · b) Simultaneity ✅ · c) Employment of census-workers · d) Homogeneity ⭐ Answer: B — Simultaneity. Straight recall from the list below. ⚠️ Note how close the distractors are: "defining boundaries" sounds like Defined Territory and "homogeneity" sounds like Universality. Learn the exact words, not the idea.
**(1) Sponsorship ** National Govt / State Govt / Local Bodies. **(2) Defined Territory ** Clear Demarcation of Area. **(3) Well Defined Periodicity ** Done after regular intervals to compare and Analyse Information. **(4) Universality ** Include each person without the territory without redundancy. **(5) Compilation and Publication ** Filtering and presentation of useful data and publishing it for potential users. **(6) Dissemination ** Getting right data for right people. **(7) International simultanity ** compared with other countries.
[!fix] ⚠️ DEFINITION CHECK — "Simultaneity" 2024·Q79 asked for a feature of the census and the answer was "Simultaneity." The gloss above ("compared with other countries") is not the standard meaning. ⭐ Simultaneity = every person is enumerated with reference to the SAME point in time (a single reference moment), so the count is a true snapshot. That is what makes it a census feature. ❗ Also absent from this list: "Individual Enumeration" — each person is recorded separately — which is one of the six standard UN census features and a likely option.
4.2 Functions of the Census
(1) For Administrative purpose and Policy Making: Used to analyse population of area for employment programs, housing, Education, social welfare schemes, economic aspects etc. (2) For Research purpose: Used the solution and interpretation of scientific problems. (3) For social and economic planning of the country: * Gender classification, Urban Vs Rular classification etc. (4) Utility in Business and Industrial sector: Demand and Supply Analysis.
4.3 Background of the Census of India
(U.S.A (1790) First modern census)
- In 1830 (Dacca) First census was done (Henry Walter) Father of undivided India
- 1872 First Indegenious census (Lord Mayo) V.G of India
- 1881 First synchronous population census. (Lord Rippon) V.G of India 1st. Census commissioner W.C Plowden (Father of Indian census 1931 First caste based census of India. (Hutton - commissioner) Caste in India (1946).
1961 MHA RGCCI (Registrar General & census commissioner of India) Present - Vivek Joshi
15th census (1872) (7th after independence) Census 2011 (Our census, our future) RGCCI - Dr. Chandramauli Mascot: Women Enumerator (stick figure)
- No. of states and UTs (35)
- Districts 640 (Increased by 47 from 2001)
- Towns 7,933 ( by 2772 from 2001)
- No. of villages 6,40,930 ( 2342 from 2001)
- Total Population 1,21,05,69,573 Urban (68.8%) Rural (31.2%)
- Child Sex Ratio (0-6 year) 919 Rural (923) Urban (905)
- Sex Ratio 940 / thousand males.
- Density (Pop) 382 person / .
- Decadal pop. Growth 17.64%.
- India's total pop. of world 17.5%.
- Literacy rate 74.04%.
- India pop. USA + Indonesia + Brazil + Pakistan + Bangladesh.
5. World Rankings
5.1 By Population
China (19.4% WP) India (17.5% WP) USA (4.5%) Indonesia Brazil
The line above shows India overtaking China in 2030. That is wrong.
⭐ India overtook China in APRIL 2023 and is now the world's most populous country
- UN estimate at the crossover: India 1,425,775,850 people
- China peaked at 1.426 billion in 2022 and has been falling since
- ⭐ Correct order today: INDIA > China > USA > Indonesia > Pakistan
(India's 7th rank by AREA, given below, is still correct.)
5.2 By Area
Russia Canada China US Brazil Australia India (7th rank)
The notes stop at Census 2011. The next census has been announced and its first phase is happening as you revise.
| Phase I — Houselisting & Housing Census | ⭐ April to September 2026 (in progress) |
| Phase II — Population Enumeration | ⭐ March 2027 |
| Reference date | 1 March 2027 (1 October 2026 for snow-bound areas — J&K, Ladakh, Himachal, Uttarakhand) |
| Significance | ⭐ India's FIRST DIGITAL census · first since 2011 · will include caste enumeration |
| Which census | The 16th census of India, 8th since Independence |
⭐ The J&K angle: the 1 October 2026 reference date for snow-bound areas covers J&K — a very likely J&K-GK question. ⚠️ Census 2011 remains the latest COMPLETED census, so every 2011 figure below is still the correct exam answer.
6. Census 2011 — India Data
6.1 National Headline Figures
These were NOT in the original notes, which jump straight to the state-wise ranks. The paper asks the headline numbers too.
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Total population | 121.09 crore (1.21 billion) |
| ⭐ Decadal growth (2001–11) | 17.70% |
| Population density | 382 per km² |
| ⭐ Sex ratio | 943 females per 1,000 males (the 940 above is the provisional figure) |
| Child sex ratio (0–6) | 919 |
| Literacy rate | 74.04% (M 82.14 · F 65.46) |
| Census year / which census | 2011 — the 15th national census, 7th after Independence |
Other decadal-growth extremes (2001–11):
- Highest growth — state: Meghalaya (27.9%) · UT: Dadra & Nagar Haveli (55.9%)
- Lowest / negative — state: ⭐ Nagaland (−0.58%)
⬇️ Your original notes resume below. ⬇️
6.2 By Population
**Biggest-state ** UP (16.49% of Total Population) Maharashtra Bihar **Smallest-state ** Sikkim (0.05%) **Biggest-UT ** Delhi **Smallest-UT ** Lakshadeep
Mnemonic:
U S Se Dil Lagi bhool jani Padgi
6.3 By Area
**Largest-state ** Rajasthan (3,42,240 ) **Smallest-state ** Goa (3702 ) **Largest-UT ** Andaman & Nicobar (8249 ) **Smallest-UT ** Lakshadeep (32 )
Mnemonic:
Roz Ghar Ana Ladke
6.4 Sex Ratio — overall (940)
**Highest-state ** Kerala (1084) Tamil Nadu (995) **Lowest-state ** Haryana (877) **Highest-UT ** Puducherry (1038) **Lowest-UT ** Daman & Diu (618)
Mnemonic:
Kash Har Ghar mein Daughter hoti
[!fix] ⚠️ FIGURE CHECK — sex ratio The heading above gives the overall 2011 sex ratio as 940. That was the PROVISIONAL figure; the FINAL Census 2011 figure is 943 females per 1,000 males. Use 943 in the exam. ⭐ Also note the convention trap: 2022·Q36 gave the ratio the other way round — (men ÷ women) × 100 = 96.70. Read the options to see which convention is intended. ❗ Missing here: Census 2011's standout fact — Nagaland was the ONLY state with NEGATIVE decadal growth (−0.58%). 2022·Q40 asked exactly this.
6.5 Literacy Rate (74.04%)
- M 82.14%
- F 65.46%
**Highest-state ** Kerala (93.91%) Mizoram (91.58%) **Smallest-state ** Bihar (63.82%) **Highest-UT ** Lakshadeep (92.28%) **Lowest-UT ** Dadra & Nagar Haveli (77.65)
Mnemonic:
Koun Banega Lakhpati - Haveli
6.6 By Urbanisation
**Most-state ** Goa (62.17%) **Least-state ** Himachal Pradesh (10.04%) **Most-UT ** Delhi (97.50%) **Least-UT ** Andaman & Nicobar (35.67%)
Mnemonic:
Ghar Ho tou Delhi k Andhar
6.7 By District
Population wise:
- Biggest - Thane (Mumbai)
- Lowest - Dibang valley
Sex Ratio
- Highest — Mahe (1184) Puducherry
- Lowest — Daman (534) (D&D)
Literacy Rate:
- Highest — Serchipp (Mizoram) 98.76%
- Lowest — Ali Rajpur (M.P) (36.10%)
Census day - 1st April (FY) National Census Day - 9th Feb Population Day - 11th July