Notes Class 11 Chapter 6 Economics Maharashtra Board

Population in India

Introduction

• Population Definition: Population refers to the total number of people living in an area at a specific time.
• India’s Population: According to the 2011 Census, India’s population was 121.02 crores, making it the second most populous country after China.
• Census: Conducted every 10 years in India to measure population size and characteristics.
• Economic Development: A country’s growth depends on both the quantity (number of people) and quality (health, education, skills) of its population.
• World Population Day: Celebrated on 11th July since 1987, when the global population crossed 500 crores.
• India’s Share: India has 17.5% of the world’s population but only 2.4% of the world’s land area.

Historical Background

• First Census: Conducted in 1872, though partial censuses occurred between 1865–1872.
• Kautilya’s Arthashastra: Written in the 3rd century BCE, it emphasized collecting population data for taxation purposes.
• Census Authority: Population statistics are compiled by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.

Basic Features of India’s Population (Recap from Std. VIII and X)

• Sex Ratio: Number of females per 1000 males.
• Population Density: Number of people per square kilometer.
• Age Composition: Distribution of population across different age groups (e.g., children, working-age, elderly).
• Urbanisation: Percentage of people living in urban areas compared to rural areas.

Trends in Population Growth

Data Source: Census surveys provide information on population size, structure, and characteristics.
Population Growth Table (Table 6.1):

Key Observations:

• 1911–1921 (Marginal Decline): Population slightly decreased from 25.2 crores to 25.1 crores due to epidemics like influenza, cholera, plague, and malaria, leading to a negative growth rate.
• Year of Great Divide (1921): Marked as the turning point because population growth became consistently positive after 1921.
• 1931–1941: Stable growth with an annual rate of 1–1.3%.
• 1951–1971: Significant rise in population from 36.1 crores to 54.8 crores post-independence.
• 1971–2001 (Population Explosion): Annual growth rate exceeded 2%, indicating rapid population growth.
• 2001–2011 (Slowdown): Growth rate declined from 1.9% to 1.4%, showing a slowing trend.

Theories of Population Growth

1. Malthusian Theory (Thomas Malthus, 1798)

• Concept: Population grows in geometric progression (e.g., 2, 4, 8, 16), while food supply grows in arithmetic progression (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4).
• Result: This imbalance leads to food shortages.

Solutions:

• Preventive Checks: Late marriage, moral restraint (e.g., celibacy).
• Positive Checks: Natural calamities (e.g., famines, diseases) that reduce excess population.
• Preference: Preventive checks are more reliable.

2. Theory of Demographic Transition (A.J. Coale & E.M. Hoover, 1958)

Concept: Explains how population growth changes with economic development through three stages:

First Stage (Low Growth):

• High birth rate and high death rate.
• Common in pre-industrial societies with poor living conditions (e.g., illiteracy, poverty, no medical facilities).
• India was in this stage before 1921.

Second Stage (High Growth):

• Death rate falls due to better healthcare, but birth rate remains high.
• Leads to population explosion.
• India is currently in this stage but nearing the third stage.

Third Stage (Low/Stable Growth):

• Both birth and death rates are low due to industrialization, urbanization, and education.
• Seen in developed countries.

Visual Representation (Fig. 6.2): Shows how birth and death rates in India have changed over time, supporting the demographic transition theory.

Key Population Concepts

• Birth Rate: Number of births per 1000 people in a year (also called fertility rate).
• Death Rate: Number of deaths per 1000 people in a year (also called mortality rate).
• Survival Rate: Difference between birth rate and death rate, indicating actual population growth.
• Formula: Survival Rate = Birth Rate – Death Rate.

Population Explosion in India

• Definition: When population growth outpaces economic development.
• Cause: High birth rate combined with a low death rate.
• Data (Table 6.2):

Causes of High Birth Rate

• Illiteracy: Illiterate people, especially women, have rigid attitudes toward marriage and childbirth.
• Universal Marriage: Marriage is a social and religious norm, unchanged even with education.
• Low Marriage Age: Legal marriage age is 18 for females and 21 for males, lower than many countries.
• Preference for Male Child: Families continue having children until they have a son (son meta-preference).
• Joint Family System: No individual financial burden, encouraging larger families.
• Dependence on Agriculture: More children mean more labor for farming.
• Poverty: Poor families see children as economic support.
• Lack of Family Planning Awareness: Ignorance about contraception methods.

Causes of Low Death Rate

• Improved Medical Facilities: Eradication of epidemics like plague, cholera, and malaria.
• Decline in Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR): Better maternity care reduces deaths during childbirth.
• Decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Dropped from 146 per 1000 in 1951 to 47 per 1000 in 2011 due to better healthcare and women’s literacy.
• Increased Literacy: Educated people take better care of health and children.
• Nutritious Food: Programs like mid-day meals reduce malnutrition-related deaths.
• Disaster Management: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), formed in 2005, reduces loss of life.
• Other Factors: Urbanization, social reforms, and awareness campaigns.

Effects of Population Explosion

• Increased pressure on land and agriculture.
• Strain on infrastructure and basic amenities (e.g., water, housing).
• Imbalance between food demand and supply.
• Inflation and environmental problems.
• Social issues (e.g., unemployment) and low national income.

Measures to Control Population Explosion

A. Economic Measures

• Expand the industrial sector.
• Create employment opportunities.
• Reduce poverty.
• Ensure equitable distribution of income and wealth.

B. Social Measures

• Spread education, especially among women.
• Improve the status of women.
• Raise the minimum marriage age.

C. Population Policies

Family Planning Programme (1952):

Aimed to reduce birth rates but was unsuccessful due to lack of awareness, religious beliefs, and inconsistent policies.

Family Welfare Programme (1979):

Integrated family planning with maternal and child health and nutrition services.

National Population Policy (NPP), 2000:

Goals:

• Free education up to age 14.
• Reduce IMR to below 30 per 1000.
• Reduce MMR to below 100 per 100,000.
• Universal child immunization.
• Delay marriage for girls (preferably after 20).
• Control communicable diseases.
• Achieve stable population by 2045.

Population as a Human Resource

• Human Resource Importance: People turn natural resources into valuable assets through their skills and demands.
• Human Development: Introduced by UNDP in 1990, it focuses on improving economic, social, cultural, and political choices.
• Demographic Dividend: When the working-age population is high, it boosts economic growth (India’s advantage).

Role of Human Resources in Economic Development

• Primary Goal: Human development improves living conditions, which is the ultimate aim of economic growth.
• Social Stability: Reduces civil unrest and promotes political stability.
• Holistic Development: Covers all aspects of human life (not just income).
• Education: Increases literacy, reduces birth and infant mortality rates, and controls population.
• Quality of Life: Improves life expectancy and living standards.
• Research and Development: Encourages innovation through educated individuals.
• Productivity: Investment in health, nutrition, and education increases output.
• Universal Application: Relevant to both developing and developed countries.

Population Education

• Definition (UNESCO): An educational program to create awareness about population issues and develop responsible attitudes toward population quality and quantity.
• Purpose: Teach students about family, community, national, and global population dynamics.