Population Grow~h in India

CHAPTER - IV POPULATION GROWTH IN INDIA

INTRODUCTION

Population growth is the most important set of events ever to occur in

human evolution as it alters the way of life in every human civilization. It is

indeed an inevitable force, since every social, political and economic problems

that faces the world has demographic change as one of its root causes.

Population growth as it affects the food security, energy reserves,

environmental degradation, urbanization, international migration, housing,

infrastructure is a problem of main concern.

As population increases, the same rate of growth will produce a larger

absolute increase in size from year to year. Human populations like all the

living things, have the capacity for exponential increase.

The population growth of the world began to grow more noticeable after

the agricultural revolution. The Industrial revolution occurred in past because

of this growth and after this, the size and rate of world population growth

have increased even more rapidly. The rate of population growth in the world

has declined since it attained its peak ie., 2.19 per cent per year in 1962-63

dropping to the current rate of approximately 1.25 per cent.

Population growth is a main issue for developing countries as it plays

an important role in delimiting the size of economic growth. The current

world situation finds China and India as the most populous countries,

followed by the United States, Indonesia and Brazil,

The various levels of social and economic development have

implications for the growth and structure of populations of each country.

Dramatic advances in health and family planning technolorn have been the

fundamental forces motivating a demographic transition. This transition-from

high to low mortality and fertility - has occurred in every country of the

world. Prior to the demographic transition, both birth and death rates are

high, hence the total increase of population is slow. As modernization begins

due to economic development, death rates tumble first, while birth rates

remain high, so that population growth reaches the stage of explosion. The

length of the transition phase-when death rates are low but birth rates are

high - and the rate of population growth during this period determine what

size a population is likely to reach before stabilization.

The population of selected countries by 2000 have been depicted in the

table 4,l. The population of all these countries constitute nearly 60% of the

world population. About 16 percent of the world's population in India. Even

though U.S.A. occupies third position after India, the population of India is

3.5 times that of U.S.A. The gap between these two countries is alarming.

The united states is growing more slowly than the other populous nations

because its fertility is lower.

Table 4.1 Population of Selected Countries by 2000

Source: Census of India 2001, Provisional Population Totals Series-

1,Paper-1 of 2001.

India's population in 2001 census provisional population totals was

estimated a t 102.7 crore : 53.1 crores males and 49.5 crores females. The

decadal growth rate of 1991-2001 was 3.7 times the population growth rate

of 1901-11;l.g times the growth rate of 1921-31; and 1.6 times the growth

rate of 1941-51. Nevertheless, India crossed one billion mark in May, 2000.

China recorded a much lower annual growth rate of population (one per cent)

during 1990-2000 as compared to India (1.9 percent) during 1999-2000.

Population Growth in India

Population census was taken in India for the first time in 1871 and

there after for every ten years. During 1871-81 the population increased a t

the rate of 0.9 per cent, while during 1881-91 it increased by 9.4 per cent and

in the next decade (1891-1901) it declined to 1.0 per cent. India's population

is very large relative to its resources and has a high growth rate.

Populat ion

1,277.6

1,027.0

281.4

212.4

170.1

156.5

146.9

129.2

126.6

111.5

S1. No.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5,

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Country

China

India

U.S.A

Indonesia

Brazil

Pakistan

Russian Fed.

Bangladesh

Japan

Nigeria

The population of India, which at the turn of the twentieth century was

only around 238.4 nlillions increased by more than four times in a period of

hundred years to reach 1027 million at the dawn of the twenty first century.

Inclia achieved its highest decadal growth rate during 1971 (24.8 per cent).

In absolute terms, the population has increased by a 180.6 million during

1991-2001, which is more than the population of Brazil, the fifth most

populous country in the world.

The prevalence of high birth and death rates during the early years of

the demographic history of India restricted the growth rate and the size of

population. This phenomenon was highest during 1921 when the country

registered a negative growth rate. India has passed through four phases of

population growth from 1901 to 2001. The Indian Population growth is shown

in Table 4.2 in terms of size and percentage (refer to Fig.4.1)

Table 4.2

Source: Census of India, Provisional Population Totals, Series - 1, Paper - 1 of 2001.

I Phase: 1901-21

During this first phase, the population of India recorded a negative

growth. The rates of growth prior to this period was highly unsteady due to

fluctuation in mortality because of catastrophies like famines and epidemics.

The decade 1901-11 can be considered as a normal decade since the

crops were reasonably good and the absence of famines. Yet the population

in the next decade viz., 1911-21 the country witnessed a negative growth of

population due to heavy mortality. The plague and influenza which occurred

in this decade said to have taken 15 to 16 million lives.

The death rate during the decade was 48.6 per thousand against 42.6

in 1901-11. The birth rate was 49 per thousand which was more or less equal

to death rate and as a consequence the growth of population during this

phase was zero or negative.

The decade 1901-11 experienced no specific regional patterns and

growth rates were highly diversified. During the first two decades of the

century, the northern zone suffered a net loss in population of 1.4 per cent

due to various famines and epidemics. In the eastern states of Assam,

Manipur, Nagaland experienced very high population growth rates during

1901-21, The rapid population growth in Assam was mainly to heavy in-

migration. The significant aspect of the first phase has been that a large

number of states experienced either a low or a negative decadal variation in

population.

During 1901-11, the decadal variation was 5.75 per cent where as

average annual exponential growth rate was 0.56 per cent. This rates can be

considered as normal as there were no significant seasonal fluctuations or

famines which covered high mortality.

Up to 1921, the rate of population growth was unsteady. The decade

1911-21 experienced a negative rate of growth. The percent decadal variation

was - 0.31 per cent and average exponential growth rate was -0.03 per cent

which was the lowest during the whole census history. Though agricultural

conditions were favourable during this decade, the epidemic of plague swept

millions of people.

The first phase was characterized by slow growth which extended from

1901-1921, there was a net decrease of 0.3 per cent. During this period, the

states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra,

Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh recorded a negative

growth of population during either of the two decades.

I1 Phase: 1921-51

The second phase started after 1921 and continued till 1951. During

this period, the annual population growth rate increased by three times. Thus

the year 1921 can be termed as a great divide in the demographic history of

the country, because it marked a beginning of regular growth and also a

rapid growth of population. The decade 1921-31 recorded an average

exponential growth rate of 1.04. During 1921-31, the all-hdia decennial

growth rate was 11.0 with the highest being Kerala 21.9 and the lowest being

Uttar Pradesh with 6.7 per cent,

During the 30 year period of 1921 to 1951, the Indian population grew

on an overall growth rate of 44 per cent. The population was substantially

higher than the national average for some states like Assam, Kerala,

Rajasthan, Tripura, Sikkim and West Bengal, the major factors responsible

for this phenomenon being the migation of the workers into these areas from

different parts of the country.

In Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab,

Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh the percentage increase in population was

below the national average.

The post 1921 period withnessed a rapid growth of population. The

major causes of high mortality have been gradually brought under control

and between 1921 and 1951 the country witnessed a gradual size in

population growth rates. During this period the population increased from

251.3 million in 1921 to 361.1 million in 1951. The net gain of 109.8 million

people was more than eight times that of 1901-21. The fall in the death rate

during 1921-1931 was to the extent of 25.3 points when compared to the

earlier decade. This fall is due to control of many diseases and epidemics such

as plague, cholera, small-pox and malaria. Several anti-famine measures

were taken up to control famines especially improvement of communications,

During 1931-41, the decennial growth rate was 14.22 per cent and

average annual exponential growth rate was 1.33 per cent. The lowest

decadal growth rate was that of Orissa, with 10.2 per cent and the highest

was that of Assam with 20.1. per cent. Mortality recorded a further decline of

14 percent during this period.

During the decacfe 1941-51, the average decennial growth rate was

13.31 per cent and average exponential growth rate was 1.25 per cent. During

this period, the all-India decennial growth rate was 21.9 per cent the highest

being Kerala with ancl the lowest being Punjab with 1.8 per cent.

Table 4.3 shows the different states showing different patterns of

growth rates from 1921 to 1951. They are classified into five groups according

to their type of' growth patterns.

In group A states, the growth rates are steeply and continuously rising

and average exponential growth rates are also very high.

In group B states, at first growth rates would fall and then rise and

average exponential growth rates are the highest when compared to other

states.

Under Group C, the growth rates of the states rises at first and then

fall but at a slower rate.

In group D states, growth rates rise and then fall to a still lower level

than before and at a faster rate.

In Group E, states, it is only Orissa state whose the growth rates fall

continuously.

Table 4.3 Grouping of States According to their Pattern of Growth 1921-51

Source : Computed from census figures.

84

Average exponential growth rates

1901-50

0.89

0.79

0.88

0.98

1.50

1.00

0.84

0,20

0.87

0.52

1.16

0.88

0.39

0.70

21.5

Group - A

Madras

Mysorezz

West Bengal

Group - B

Andhra Pradesh

Kerala

Maharashtra

Group - C

Jammu & Kashmir

Assam

Bihar

Madhya Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Guj ar at

Rajasthan

Group . D

Punja

Group - E Orissa

AS1 India

Decadal

1921-30

8,5

9.4

8.1

13.0

21.9

14.9

10.1

19.5

11.5

11.4

6.7

12.9

14.1

9.0

11.9

11.0

Growth

1931-40

1.9

11.1

13.1

10.8

16.0

12.0

10.4

20.1

12.2

12.3

13.6

19.3

18.0

16.1

10.2

13.5

Rates

1941-50

14.5

19.4

22.7

14.0

22.9

19.3

10.4

19.3

10.3

8.7

11.8

18.7

15.2

1.8

6.4

14.0

Phase I11 : 1951 - 81

The year 1951 marked another land mark in the demographic history

of India after the great divide of 1921 where there has been an acceleration

in the population growth rate since that year. From 1951 onwards, India's

population has been growing al: a phenomenal increase while during 1941-51,

the average decennial growth rate was 13.31, during 1951-61 it increased to

21.6 per cent. From Table 4.4, we can note that there has been a significant

variation in the growth rates of the States and Union Territories during 1951-

61, and the highest growth rate among the states has been that of Tripura

with 78.71 per cent and the lowest was Tamil Nadu with 11.85 per cent.

During the first decade of the phase I11 (1951-61) the population

growth was never than before and it did not happen in the preceding decades

also, the decadal growth rate being 21.64 per cent and absolute growth of

78.1 million population. The growth rate increased by 8.33 points. The year

1951 can be considered as the third landmark as accelerated decline in the

Crude death rate was witnessed until 1971. This phase is characterized by

a clearly marked increase in the growth rate as well as in the size of

population. The Crude birth rate slightly increased in the following decade.

Health, sanitation, food and nutrition improved during this phase very much.

Since 1951, the demographic situation has proved to be very critical for the

country as it is now facing a lot of problems caused by the unprecedented

growth of population. The first decade of the phase-I11 (1951-61) experi.enced

a rise in the Crude birth rate 91.7 per 1000) and a decline in the crude death

rate (4.6 per 1000). The number of states with below 10 per cent decadal

growth rate came down from 8 in 1941-51 to 2 in 1951-61.

The period 1961-71 was the continuation of the previous decade and

the higher growth rates continued in more states. The north-eastern states

constituted one region with highest rate of population growth (above 30 per

cent).

During the decade 1961-71, however the disparity in variation has

narrowed. High growth rates of population are observed for the north-eastern

states of Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal and Haryana.

Infact, these growth rates were greater than the growth rate of the country

as a whole i.e., The States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh,

Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka and iegistered somewhat low rates of

population growth.

During this decade, many States and Union Territories showed an

upward trend in the growth rate of population. Among the States Sikkim and

Nagaland occupied the first and second places with 50.44 and 49.73 per cent

respectively and Tamil Nadu recorded the lowest growth rates with 17.23 per

cent. The mean value in table reveals that there has been steep rise in

population just within a short span of one decade. The decadal growth rate

in 1971 (24.80 per cent) and 1981 (24.66 per cent) remained more or less the

same (it is evident from 4.2).

Phase IV-1981-2001

The fourth phase is characterized by the declining trend of population

growth. The population increase in absolute terms is the least in 2001 decade

(17.6 million) when compared to the last five decades.

During the decade 1981-91, the decadal growth rate of India was 23.60

per cent and average exponential growth rate was 2.11 per cent. Actually this

growth rate was two times the growth rate of population of 1941-51 and five

times the growth rate of 1901-11. (see table 4.5) India's population was 84.39

crores according to 1991-census.

Table 4.4 Inter-State Variations in the Patterns of Population Growth in India, 1951-2001.

Source : Computed from Census ~ab le s .

87

1991- 2001

13.86

26.21

18.85

28.43

46.31

14.89

22.48

28.06

17.53

29.04

17.25

9.46

24.34

22.57

30.02

19.94

29.18

64.41

15.94

19.76

28.33

32.98

11.19

15.74

25.80

17.84

24.63

46.32

1981-91

24.20

32.83

24.24

23.38

51.45

16.08

21.19 27.41

20,79

30.34

21.12

14.32

26.75

25.73

29.29

32.86

39.70

56.08

20.06

20.81

28.44

28.47

15.39

34.30

27.89

24.65

27.75

35.59

1971-81

23.10

35.16

23.36

24.16

53.00

26.74

27.67

28.75

23.71

29.69

26.75

19.24

25.27

24.54

32.46

32.04

48.55

50.05

20.17

23.89

32.97

50.77

17.50

31.92

25.49

23.17

30.27

33.20

S1. No.

1. 2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8. 9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14. 15.

16. 17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22. 23.

24.

25.

26.

1951-61

15.65

N.A 34.98

19.79

52.44

7.77

26.88

33.79

17.87

9.44

21.57

24.76

24.73

23.60

35.04

27.03

35.61

73.35

19.82

21.56

26.20

17.76

11.85

78.71

16.38

32.80

28.38

61.06

States

Andhra Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh

Assam

Bihar

Delhi

Goa Gujarat Haryana Himachal Jammu & Kashrnir Karnataka Kerala Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Orissa Punjab Rajasthan Sikkim Tamil Nadu Tripura Uttar Pradesh West Bengal Mean C.V.

1961-71

20.90

38.91

34.95

20.91

52.93

34.77

29.39

32.22

23.04

29.65

24.22

26.29

29.28

27.45

37.53

31.50

24.93

39.88

25.05

21.70

27.83 29.38

22.30

36.28

16.66

26.87

29.41

26.19

Decadal Variation

Andhra Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh

Assam

Bihar

tioa

Gujarat

Haryana

Himachal

Jarnmu & Kashmir

Karnataka

Kerala

2 Madhya Pradesh z? --I :: Maharashtra

Manipur

Meghalaya

Mizoram

Nagaland

Orissa

Punjab I Rajasthan

Sikkim

Tamil Nadu

Tripura

Uttar Pradesh

West Bengal - - -

During the decade 1991-2001, the decadal growth rate of India was

21.34 per cent according to the provisional population totals and the average

exponential growth rate was 1.93 per cent. Table 4.5 shows that the growth

rate was the highest in Nagaland with 64.41 per cent and Delhi with 46.31

per cent Meanwhile Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala recorded the

lowest growth rates with 13.86, 11.9 and 9.42 per cent respectively.

There was a significant decline in population growth rates of Andhra

Pradesh, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Pondicherry, Andaman & Nicobar

Islands and Lakshadweep over the previoys decade. Meanwhile, growth rates

increased in Bihar, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Nagaland, SiMrirn and

Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Souroe: Govt. of India, Census of India, Final Population Totals of 2001 Census,

Percen t t o total

population

16.17

9.42

8.07

7.81

7.37

6.05

5.88

5.50

5.14

4.93

3.57

3.10

2.62

2.59

2.37

2.05

2.03

1.34

0.98

0.83

0.59

0.31

0.23

0.22

0.19

0.13

0.11

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.05

0.03

0.02

0.02

0.01 -

Population Sizes Average

exponential growth r a t e

2.30

2.04

2.50

1.64

1.30

1.06

2.18

2.49

1.59

2.03

1.48

0.90

2.09

1.73

1.80

2.47

1.66

3.81

2.55

1.76

1.62

1.46

2.63

2.62

4.97

1.39

2.33

1.87

3.39

2.56

2.85

3.97

4.95

4.42

1.59

Rank 2001

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6,

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28. 29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

Table According

Population i n 2001

166,052,859

96,752,247

82,878,796

80,221,171

75,727,541

62,110,839

60,385,118

56,473,122

52,733,958

50,596,992

36,706,920

31,838,619

26,909,428

26,638,407

24,289,296

21,082,989

20,795,956

13,782,976

10.069,917

8,479,562

6,077,248

3,191,168

2,388,634

2,306,069

1,988,636

1,343,998

1,091,117

973,829

900,914

891,058

540,493

356,265

220,451

158,059

60,595

Ranking of States

S t a t f l n i o n Territory

Uttar Pradesh

Maharashtra Bihar

West Bengal Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu

Madhya Pradesh

Rajasthan

Karnatalca

Gujarat

Orissa

Kerala Jherkhand

Assam Punjab

Waryana

Chattisgarh Delhi

Jammu & Kashmir

Uttaranchal Himachal Pradesh

Tripura

Manipur Meghalaya Nagaland

Goa Arunachal Pradesh

Pondichery Chandigarh

Mizoram Sikkim Andaman & Nocobar Islands

Dadra & Nagar Haveli

Daman & Diu

Laskhadweep

4.5 to their

Percent increase

25.80

22.57

28.43

17.84

13.86

11.19

24.34

28.33

17.25

22.48

15.94

9.42

23.19

18.85

19.76

28.06

18.06

46.31

29.04

19.20

.17.53

15.74

30.02

29.94

64.41

14.89

26.21

20.56

40.33

29.18

32.98

26.94

59.20

28.62

17.19

Sex ratio

India shares a distinctive feature with the South and East Asian

population of having adverse sex ratio i.e more males per females. The sex

ratio had always remained unfavourable to females. This gap is attributed to

women's lower status when compared to males. Sex ratio can be described as

the number of females per 1000 males. In India, there were 35.5 million less

women than men in 2001.

The sex ratio has been declining almost consistently over the decades.

It can be observed from Table 4.6. It was 972 in the 1901 census, which

declined to 930 by 1971. The decline was sharpest during 1961-71, when the

sex ratio dropped by 11 points. It rose marginally to 93.4 by 1981 and again

it declined to 927 in 1991. In 2001, the sex ratio again rose to 933 which is

a good improvement.

Tablo 4.6 Trends in the Sex Ratio in India : 1901-2001

I Census Year I Females per 1000

Males I

Source: Census of India, 2001, Provisional population totals, series I, paper 1 of 2001.

91

The declining sex ratio for females in India was attributed to causes

like: (1) Women's lower status contributing to low age at marriage for girls,

lower literacy and educational attainment, higher fertility and mortality

levels during the reproductive ages. (2) Lesser attention paid to the female

children when compared to the male ones. (3) Increasing incidence of female

foeticide through the use of the modern techniques of sonography, by

identifying the sex of the baby at early stages of pregnancy.

The increase in sex ratio during 1991-2001 can be seen as a promising

sign of improvement in the status of women, While the world average of sex

ratio is 986 females per 1000 males, most of the nations like Pakistan and

China have shown an improvement from 1950 to 2000, India is the only

exception, where the sex ratio is declining countinuously.

The table 4.7 reveals that in rnany'states, especially the large Hindi-

speaking ones, the sex ratios have been quite low over time and still there

have been further declines between 1981 and 1991. In Bihar it fell from 946

to 911 only in Kerala has the population favoured females throughout the

period. The trends in sex ratio for some of the major states and Union

territories have shown a downward slide. The major states that are largely

responsible for the decline in the overall sex ratio in India are Uttar Pradesh,

Bihar, Jharkand, Orissa, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Mahastra

and Tamil Nadu. Although the sex ratio in Punjab has been consistently low,

it has shown a long-term upward trend and has not contributed to the overall

deterioratio in sex ratio of the country. In Rajasthan, the sex ratio kept

fluctuating in a narrow band and always remained at a low level. Haryana,

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are the states where the sex ratio has

remained more or less stagnant, (See Fig. 4.3).

Table - 4.7 Sex Ratios in the States 1951-2001

Source: Census of India, 2001, Provisional Population Totals, Series I, Paper 1 of 2001.

93

The overall sex ratio of India is dependent on the sex ratio obtained in

different states and Union territories and their relative weights in terms of

size of population. At the Census of India, 2001, the sex ratio among the

major states ranged from 861 in Haryana to 1058 in Kerala. In 1991 also,

Haryana with a sex ratio of 865 was at the bottom with Kerala 1036 a t the

top. The changes in sex ratio overtime, therefore, are dependent on the

changes in the ratios of the individual States and Union territories and their

relative share in population.

It is clear that the number of States and Union Territories with sex

ratio of below national average has increased from seventeen in 1991 to

eighteen in 2001. In fact the proportion of population below the national

average has increased from 64 per cent to about 60 per cent. The highly

populated States like Uttar Pradesh, ~ i h a i , Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh

which together constituted about 34 per cent of India's population in 1991

and increased to 36 per cent in 2001. Therefore, the increase in the overall

sex ratio is possibly due to the relative larger increase in the sex ratio of

these four states.

The sex ratio of Indian population has always been of topical interest

for the demographers, social scientists, women's group, research scholars and

various planners and policy makers. Several reasons are adduced to explain

the consistency low levels of sex ratio and their further decline in the country.

1. Neglect of the girl child resulting in their higher mortality at younger

ages.

2. High maternal mortality rate

3. Sex selective female abortions

4. Female infanticide

5. Change in sex ratio at birth

The imbalance in the number of males and females begins in the

beginning. It is now a well established law of nature that the males exceed

females at the time of birth. It is believed that generally 943-952 female

births take place for every 1000 male births, which in effect would mean that

there is a deficiency of about 50 females per 1000 males in every birth cohort,

this is unalterable content.

Density

Density is defined as the number of pensions per square kilometer. One

of the important indices of population concentration is the density of

population. The population density of India in 2001 was 324 persons per

square kilometre, which means that now 57 more people live in a square

kilometer area in the country than the number that lived a decade ago.

Table 4.8 explains that the density in 1901 was as low as 77 and it

steadily increased from one decade to another to reach 324 in 2001. The

persons living per sq. km. has increased by 2.13 per cent in 2001 as compared

to resources etc. The states and Union territories of the country largely varied

in terms of density,

Table 4.8

Density of Population, India: 1901-2001

Source: Census of India 2001, Provisional Population Totals, Series -1,

Paper-1 of 2001.

Census

1901

1911

1921

1931

1941

1951

1961

1971

1981

1991

2001

The table 4.9 deals with the ranking of States and Union Territories

of India in desending order of densities. The density of population within the

country widely varies across the States and Union Territories. It varied from

13 persons per sq.km. in Arunachal Pradesh to 9294 in Delhi. The density of

population has been increased in all States and Union Territories of the

country between 1991 and 2001 but huge variations in the rate of increase in

density has been observed. Among the major states, West Bengal is still the

most thickly populated, where population density has gone up from 767 in

1991 to 904 in 2001. However, among the major states, Bihar is now the

second highest densely populated state pushing Kerala to the third place in

terms of ranking. Similarly, Punjab and Tamil Nadu have at present

interchanged their relative position of loth and llth ranks respectively in

1991, (See Fig. 4.4).

Density (Per Sq.km) 77

82

81

90

103

117

142

177

216

267

324

Table 4.9 Ranking of States and Union Territories by Density : 1991 and 2001

Source: Census of India 2001, Provisional Population Totals, Series -1, Paper-1 of 2001.

Density

A N g g g g - t C O ( c l c O O O C

8 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 <

Uttar Pradesh

5? 3 Dadra & Nagar Haveli (P U)

Andhra Pradesh

Literacy

Literacy and education are reasonably the good indicators of

development in a society. Spread and diffusion of literacy is generally

associated with essential traits of civilisation such as modernisation,

urbanisation, industrialisation, communication and commerce. Higher levels

of education and literacy leads to a greater awareness and also contributes

in improvement of economic conditions. It acts as a catalyst for social

upliftment enhancing the returns on investments made in almost every

aspect of development effort, be it population control, health, hygiene,

environmental degradation control, empowerment of women and weaker

sections of the society.

Literacy is one of the important social characteristics on which

information is obtained on every individual in the census. A person aged

seven and above, who can both read and write with understanding in any

language, is treated as literate. It is decided at the 1991 census that all

children in the age group 0-6, will be treated as illiterates by definition and

the population aged seven years and above only is to be classified as literate.

The same criterion has been retained at the census of India, 2001, also.

The Table 4.10 shows the literacy rates for the country since 1951.

Literacy rates in the table for the 1951, 61 and 71 censuses relate to the

population aged five years and above, where as for the 1981, 91 and 2001

relate to the population seven years and above. The literacy rate for the

country in 2001 is 65.38 per cent, for males 75.85 per cent and for females

54.16 per cent. Thus three-fourths of the male and more than half of the

female population are literate in the country. India has continued its

improving in literacy rate by recording a jump of 13.17 percentage points

from 52.21 in 1991 to 65.38 in 2001. There is increase in the percentage

points of female literacy in the order of 11.72 and 14.87 respectively.

The difference in male-female literacy rates of percentage points

increased from 18.30 in 1951 to 26.62 in 1981. But in 1991 this difference was

marginally reduced to 24.84 per cent and in 2001 it is further declined to

21.70 per cent, (See Fig.4.5).

-

Source: Census of India 2001, series-1, Provisional Population Totals,

Table 4.10 Literacy Rates in India : 1951 - 2001

Paper - 1 of 2001, Registrar General and Census commissioner,

India.

Male-female gap in Literacy rate

18.30 25.05 23.98 26.62 24.84 21.70

The Table 4.11 gives a ranking of states and union territories by

literacy rates of 1991 and 2001 along with decadal difference. The first rank

is occupied by Kerala followed by Mizoram and Lakshadweep in 1991 and

they have retained the same position in 2001 census also. Chandigarh has

moved down from 4th rank in 1991 to 6th rank in 2001, while Goa has

jumped up from 5th rank in 1991 t o 4th rank in 2001,

All the States and Union Territories without exception have shown

increase in literacy rates during 1991-2001. The States and Union Territories

which are moved forward by more than 15 percentage points during 1991-

2001 are Rajasthan (22.48 per cent), (22.27 per cent), Madya Pradesh (19.44

per cent) Dadra and Nagar Haveli (19.33 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (17.02

per cent) and Uttar Pradesh (16.65 per cent).

Females

8.86 15.35 21.97 29.76 39.29 54.16

Males

27.16 40.40 45.96 56.38 64.13 75.85

Year

1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001

k

Persons

18.33 28.30 34.45 43.57 52.21 65.38

tanking of States and India 1 States I

Union territories

INDIA Jammu & Kashmir Himachal Pradesh Punjab Chandigarh Uttaranchal Haryana Delhi Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh Bihar Sikkim Arunachal Pradesh Nagaland Manipur Mizoram Tripura Meghalaya Assam West Bengal Jarkhand Orissa Chhatisgarh Madhya Pradesh Gujarat Daman & Diu Dadra & Nagar Haveli Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Goa Lakshadweep Ker ala Tamil Nadu Pondicherry Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Table : 4.11

Source: Registrar general, various census years.

-

1991 and 2001. Decadal

difference in Literacy

rate 13.29

13.19 11.45 3.94 14.55 12.74 6.53 22.48 16.65 10.04 12.73 13.15 5.46 8.97 6.22 13.22 14.21 11.39 11.52 12.74 14.52 22.27 19.44 8.40 9.89 19.33

Jnion territories bs Literacy rate

1991

52.20

63.94 58.51 77.81 57.75 55.85 75.29 38.55 40.71 37.49 56.94 41.59 61.65 59.89 82.27 60.44 49.10 52.89 57.70 41.39 49.09 42.91 44.67 61.57 71.20 40.71

Literacv Rates, Rank

2001

65.49 54.46 77.13 69.95 81.76 72.28 68.59 81.82 61.03 57.36 47.53 69.68 54.74 67.11 68.87 88.49 73.66 . 63.31 64.28 69.22 54.13 63.16 65.18 64.11 69.97 81.09 60.03

1991

11 17 4 18 22 6 33 3 1 34 20 29 13 26 2 15 24 23 19 30 25 28 26 14 9 32

2001

11 16 6 14 20 5 29 31 .34 17 32 2 1 19 2 12 27 24 18 33 26 23 25 15 9 30

The table 4.12 illustrates that the absolute number of illiterates in the

country as a whole declined in this decade by 31,958,336. The minimum share

in this decline came from Andhra Pradesh, i.e., 16.7 per cent of the total

decrease in the illiterates during 1991-2001. The States of Uttar Pradesh,

Maharastra Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu accounts for three-

fourths of the percentage decrease in the total number of illiterates in the

country, where as they share half of country's population.

But Bihar increased its number of illiterates negatively contributing

by 9.33 per cent followed by Delhi.

Table. 4.12 Number of Illiterates, Decadal decrease in Illiterates and Percentage contribution in decrease : 1991,2001

Source: Census of 2001, Provisional Population Totals, Series-1, Paper 1 of 2001.

Conclusion

During the early part of the twentieth century, the country witnessed

fluctuations in population growth but ultimately more or less stagnant

growth of population is observed by the end of 2001. The prevalence of high

birth and death rates during the early part restrictd the growth rate and the

size of population. Since 1951, the country's population is increasing, rapidly

during 1951-81 and then at a slower rate during the last phase.

At present, India has been growing at a faster rate in absolute terms

but it is growing at a slower pace than before in terms of percentage. All the

states in the country are grouped into certain categories on the basis of their

population growth rages in various census decades. The density is increasing

abnormally due to stagnant land area and increasing population pressure the

sex ratio is also decreasing slowly, which is having variations in all the States

and Union Territories linked up with their progress in development. The

literacy rates also increasing but the rate of increase in the literacy of males

is faster than females.