AN OVERVIEW
Introduction: India is the home of 16% of World's total population accom- modated in an area of 2.41% of the World's total. area. The density of population of India according to 1991 census is 267 persons as against 39 persons per Sq. Km. in the World as a whole. The population, area, density of the World and some of our neighbouring countries has been given in Sub-.Table 1:
Sub-Table 1
Particulars Population Area Density %age to % of (15+)
(Thousands) (Sq. Ms) World totals illiter-
(1991) Popn. Area ate Popn
World 5358344 136212104 39 - - NA
Afghanistan 16433 652090 25 0.31 0.48 70.6
Bangladesh 118745 143998 825 2.22 0.11 64.7
Bhutan 1551 47,000 33 0.03 0.03 61.6
China 1155795 9596961 120 21.57 7.05 22.2
India 846303 3287263 267 15.79 2.41 51.8
Myanmar 42561 676578 63 0.79 0.50 19.4
Pakistan 115520 796095 145 2.16 0.58 65.2
Sri Lanka 17247 65610 263 0.32 0.05 11.6
Nepal 19605 140797 139 0.37 0.10 74.4
Source: Statistical Yearbook, 1993 UNESCO
2. Population:
2.1 Growth of population (1901-1991): India comprises 507 Districts 5428 C.D. Blocks spread in an area. of 32,87,263 Sq. Kms. It will be observed from Sub- Table II below that the population of our country has been increasing at an alarming rate. Total population during 1901_ 1991 increased by more than 3-1/2 times; the Population in urban areas increased by 8.42 times while the population in rural areas almost trebled during the same period. The growth of population during the period 1901 to 1991 is given in Sub-Table II below:-
Sub-Table II
Growth of population in India
Census Yr. RuraL Urban Total
1901 212,544,454 25,851,873 238,396,327
1911 226,151,757 25,941,633 252,093,390
1921 223,235,043 28,086,170 251,321,213
1931 245,521,249 33,455,989 278,977,238
1941 274,507,283 44,153,297 318,660,580
1951 298,644,381 62,443,709 361,088,090
1961 360,298,168 78,936,603 439,234,771
1971 439,045,675 109,113,977 548,159,652
1981 523,866,550 159,462,547 683,329,097
1991 628,691,676 217,611,012, 846,302,688
Census of Census of India 1991 PAPER - 2 of 1992 FINAL POPULATION TOTALS
II
III
2.2 Decennial variation of population: Decennial variations of population during the period 1901- 1991 has been given in Sub-Table III below:
Sub-Table III
Years %age decadal variation of population
Total Rural Urban
1901-11 + 5.75 + 6.40 + 0.35
1911-21 - 0.31 - 1.29 + 8.27
1921-31 + 11.00 + 9.98 + 19.12
1931-41 + 14.22 + 11.81 + 31.97
1941-51 + 13.31 + 8.79 + 41.43
1951-61 + 21.64 + 20.64 + 26.41
1961-71 + 24.80 + 21.86 + 38.23
1971-81 + 24.66 + 19.32 + 46.14
1981-91 + 23.85 + 20.01 + 36.47
1901-91 + 255.00 + 195.79 + 741.76
Source: Census of India, Part II-A (i) General Population Tables.
2.3 Sexwise/Rural-Urban population 1951-1991 Sexwise/rural-urban breakup of population after independence has been shown in Sub-Table IV below. For 1951 and 1981, Rural/Urban, Sexwise population break-up has been apportioned proportionately on the basis of the Totals both for Rural/Urban and Males/Females available in the Census publications.
Sub-Table-IV
Sexwise/Rural-Urban distribution of POPULATION from 1951 to 1991
Male Female Person
(1) (2) (3)
1951 (a)
- RURAL 153,444,642 145,199,739 298,644,381
- URBAN 32,083,820 30,359,889 62,443,709
- TOTAL 185,528,462 175,559,628 361,088,090
1961 (b)
- RURAL 183,504,095 176,794,073 360,298,168
- URBAN 42,789,106 36,147,497 78,936,603
- TOTAL 226,293,201 212,941,570 439,234,771
1971 (c)
- RURAL 225,319,943 213,725,732 439,045,675
- URBAN 58,729,333 50,384,644 109,113,977
- TOTAL 284,049,276 264,110,376 548,159,652
IV
(1) (2) (3)
1981 (d)
- RURAL 270,910,547 252,956,003 523,866,550
- URBAN 82,463,913 76,998,634 159,462,547
- TOTAL 353,374,460 329,954,637 683,329,097
1991 (e)
- RURAL 324,321,614 304,370,062 628,691,676
- URBAN 114,908,844 102,702,168 217,611,012
- TOTAL 439,230,458 407,072,230 846,302,688
(a) Census of India, 1991 paper 2 of 1992-Final population Totals (b) Census of India 1961 - Final Popn Totals Paper 1 of 1962 p.5 (c) Part II C (i) census of India 1971, General Population Table (d) Census of India, 1981 Part II B(i) P. (4) and part II A (1) Statement 5 to 7. (e) Census of India, 1991 Part II B(i) Vol. II P.11 (bottom)
While male population increase by 2.37 times, female population increased by 2.32 times during 1951-1991. Rural population in- creased by 2.11 times, urban population increased by almost 3-1/2 times during 1951-1991. Rural-males and rural-females more than doubled themselves during the same period. Urban males increased by 3.58 times; Urban females increased by 3.38 times during this period.
2.4. Sex-Ratio Sex-ratio in India has all along been unfavorable to fe- males. Not only this, the sex-ratio has been declining from 1901 to 1991 as will be seen from the Sub-Table V given below. During the year 1901, sex-ratio was 972 which has come down to 927 during 1991.
Sub-Table V
Sex-Ratio
Year Total Rural Urban
1901 972 979 910
1911 964 975 872
1921 955 970 846
1931 950 965 838
1941 945 965 831
1951 946 965 860
1961 941 963 845
1971 930 949 858
1981 934 951 879
1991 927 938 894
Source: Census of India 1991 : Final Population Totals
Paper 2 of 1992 p.102
V
2.5 Single-year population percentages: Single-year age population data for 1991 has not yet been released by the Registrar General of India (Census operations). For educational purposes, this data is very essential to find out the pace of universalization of elementary education in the country or in a state. Broadly the following age-groups are used for educational Purposes. We have placed a comparative picture of the percentages of population in these age-groups (Sub-Table VI) for use by those who are concerned with educational planning and educational administration.
Sub Table VI
Percentage of child-population to total population
Census Years
Age Group 1961 1971 1981
3-6 Boys 9.56 9.62 8.79
Girls 9.88 9.78 9.02
Total 9.72 9.70 8.90
6-11 Boys 14.48 15.35 14.92
Girls 14.60 15.36 14.95
Total 14.54 15.35 14.93
11-14 Boys 6.35 6.87 7.45
Girls 5.85 6.49 7.12
Total 6.11 6.69 7.29
14-16 Boys 3.95 4.38 4.83
Girls 3.57 3.98 4.44
Total 3.76 4.18 4.64
16-18 Boys 2.92 3.22 3.54
Girls 2.93 3.10 3.50
Total 2.93 3.17 3.52
18-21 Boys 6.02 6.02 7.06
Girls 6.87 6.53 7.50
Total 6.43 6.27 7.27
15-36 Males 34.94 33.69 36.47
Females 35.80 34.91 36.85
Total 35.35 34.28 36.65
Source: 1961 : Census of India 1961 Vol.1 Part II (c) (i) Social
and Cultural Tables.
1971: Census of India 1971 Part II Special
1981: Census of India 1981 Paper 5 of 1984 - Age Tables
VI
3. Literacy: The decadal censuses, inter-alia, collects information on literacy. For the purposes of census, a person is considered literate if he or she can read and write with. understanding in any language. However, a person who can merely read but cannot write is not literate.
3.1 Literacy Percentage 1901 to 1991: Literacy rates for the year 1901 to 1991 have been shown in Sub-Table VII given below. The rates upto 1941 are for undivided India. In the literacy rates given in Sub-Table below, entire population. including population in the age-group 0 to 4 has been taken into account except in 1981 and 1991 where the population in the age group 0 to 6 has been exclude for the purpose of calculation of literacy pecentages.
Sub-Table VII
Literacy, Percentage 1901 to 1991
Year Persons Males Females
1901 5.35 9.83 0.60
1911 5.92 10.56 1.05
1921 7.16 12.21 1.81
1931 9.50 15.59 2.93
1941 16.10 24.90 7.30
1951 16.67 24.95 7.93
1961 24.02 34.44 12.95
1971 29.45 39.45 18.69
1981 (age group 43.67 56.50 29.85
1991 7 & above) 52.21 64.13 39.29
Census of India, Paper 1 of 1981, Prov. Population Totals, Page/43 Census of India, Paper 2 of 1992, Final Popn Tables excldg J&K.
VII
(VII)
3.2 Sexwise/Rural-Urban Literacy: Sexwise literacy rates relating to the years 1951 to 1991 are given in Sub-Table VIII.
Sub-Table VIII
Literacy 1951-1991
Male Female Person
1951 (a)
- RURAL 19.02 4.87 12.10
- URBAN 45.06 22.33 34.59
- TOTAL 24.95 7.93 16.67
1961 (b)
- RURAL 29.10 8.55 29.10
- URBAN 57.49 34.51 46.97
- TOTAL 34.44 12.95 24.02
1971 (c)
- RURAL 33.76 13.17 23.74
- URBAN 61.27 42.14 52.44
- TOTAL 39.45 18.69 29.45
1981 (d) (7) Years and above)
- RURAL 49.69 21.77 36.09
- URBAN 76.83 56.37 67.34
- TOTAL 56.50 29.85 43.67
1991 (e) (7 yrs and above)
- RURAL 57.87 30.62 44.69
- URBAN 81.09 64.05 73.08
- TOTAL 64.13 39.29 52.21