DEMOGRAPHY

Population Size and Growth:

With a population of 846 million (1991), India is the second most populous country of the world, accounting for 16 per cent of the world population and just 2.4 per cent of the total land area of earth. About one-fourth of India's population lives in urban areas. The historical trends indicate that males out-number females. For every 1000 males, the number of females was 927 in 1991. The overall decadal increase in population during the eighties (23.85 per cent) was somewhat lesser than that of seventies (24.66 per cent) (Table 4). The population is expected to cross the one billion mark by 2001.

Due to different social composition and economic profile of the states, wide variations in popula- tion growth have been witnessed (Figure 4). While some states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu have shown substantial decline in the growth rate of population in the last two/three decades, the other states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal con- tinue to have relatively higher population growth rates (Figure 5).

Age Distribution:

Since the data in respect of age distribution of population in various age-groups is not yet available for 1991, the age distribution for 1981 is presented in Table 5 and Figure 7. While the proportion of population in 0-4 age group is declining, a significant increase in the share of population aged 60 and above is observed. The educationally backward states have general- ly higher proportion of children in the 0-4 age group as compared to the educationally developed states. The educational implications of such a scenario are obvious.

SC Population:

The Scheduled Caste population numbering 138 million (1991) in India is wide- ly distributed. across geographical space and accounts for 16.48 per cent of the total population of the country (Table 6). There has been an increase in the share of SC population in the last three decades thereby indicating a relatively higher population growth for SCs as compared to others. The states with higher concentration of SC population are Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, these five states together account for 57.32 per cent of total SC population of the country.

ST Population:

In contrast to Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes exhibit the process of clustering and concentration in some pockets of geographical space generally characterised by rugged terrain and having dense forest cover. STs numbering 67.8 million (1991) account for 8 per cent of the country's population (Table 7). Like SCs, the population growth of STs has also been higher than the non-scheduled population. The states with high concentration of ST popula- tion are Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Gujarat and Bihar and account for 62.76 percent- age of total ST population in the country. Although, the north-eastern states have very high ST population, they account for 12.01 per cent of tribal population of India.

Density of Population:

The density of population has increased from 77 in 1901 to 273 persons per sq. km. in 1991 (Table 8). The states having high density of population are West Bengal (767) and Kerala (749). It may be seen that the districts in Indo-Gangetic plains and the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have relatively higher density of population as compared to the rest of the country (Fig. 13).

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8 EDUCATION FOR ALL 

                                                                             Table 3
                                                                         Growth of Population
                                                                             1901-1991
                                                                                                                       (in thousands)
                                                                                  

                        Year             Person                Male               Female            Rural              Urban
                                                                                  

                        1901             238396               120911              117485            212545              25851
        
                        1911             252093               128385              123708            226152              25941
        
                        1921             251321               128546              122775            223235              28086
        
                        1931             278977               142988              135989            2A5521              33456
        
                        1941             318661               163785              154876            274508              44153
        
                        1951             361088               185528              175560            298645              62443
        
                        1961             439235               226293              212942            360275              78960
        
                        1971             548160               284049              264110            439046             109114
        
                        1981*            685185               354398              330787            525458             159727
        
                        1991*            846302               439230              407072            628691             217611
                                                                                  

                        Includes the estimated population of Assam (1981) and Jammu & Kashmir (1991)
                   Source : A Handbook of Population Statistics, Census of India, New Delhi, 1988
                             Census of India, 1991, Series-1, Paper-2, 1992, Final Population Totals, New Delhi, 1993

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10

EDUCATION FOR ALL 

                                                                               Table 4
        
                                                                   Decadal Variation in Population
        
                                                                         1971-81 and 1981-91
        
                                                                                  

                         State/Union Territory               Total Population (in thousands)                 Percentage to          Decadal Variation in
                                                                                                             Total Population       Population (percent)
                                                            1981                       1991                   of India
                                                            Total        Person        Male        Female        1991             1971-81          1981-91
                                                                                  

        
                         INDIA                             665288        846302      439230        407072      100.00               24.66            23.85
                         Andhra Pradesh                     53549         66508       33725         32783        7.86               23.10            24.20
                         Arunachal Pradesh                    632           865         465           400        0.10               35.15            36.83
                         Assam                                  -         22414       11658         10756        2.65               23.36            24.24
                         Bihar                              69915         86374       45202         41172       10.21               24.06            23.54
                         Goa                                 1087          1170         595           575        0.14               26.74            16.08
                         Gujarat                            34086         41309       21355         19954        4.88               27.67            21.19
                         Haryana                            12923         16463        8827          7636        1.95               28.75            27.41
                         Himachal Pradesh                    4281          5171        2618          2553        0.61               23.71            20.79
                         Jammu & Kashmir*                    5987          7719        4014          3705        0.91               29.69            28.92
                         Karnataka                          37136         44977       22952         22025        5.31               26.75            21.12
                         Kerala                             25454         29098       14289         14809        3.44               19.24            14.32
                         Madhya Pradesh                     52179         66181       34267         31914        7.82               25.27            26.84
                         Maharashtra                        62784         78937       40826         38111        9.33               24.54            25.73
                         Manipur                             1421          1837         938           899        0.22               32.46            29.29
                         Meghalaya                           1336          1775         908           867        0.21               32.04            32.86
                         Mizoram                              494           690         359           331        0.08               48.55            39.70
                         Nagaland                             775          1209         641           568        0.14               50.05            56.08
                         Orissa                             26370         31660       16064         15596        3.74               20.17            20.06
                         Punjab                             16789         20282       10778          9504        2.40               23.89            20.81
                         Rajasthan                          34262         44006       23043         20963        5.20               32.97            28.44
                         Sikkim                               316           406         216           190        0.05               50.77            28.47
                         Tamil Nadu                         48408         55859       28299         27560        6.60               17.50            15.39
                         Tripura                             2053          2757        1418          1339        0.33               31.92            34.30
                         Uttar Pradesh                     110862        139112       74037         65075       16.44               25.49            25.48
                         West Bengal                        54581         68078       35511         32567        8.04               23.17            24.73
                         Andaman & Nicobar Is.                189           280         154           126        0.03               63.93            48.70
                         Chandigarh                           452           642         359           283        0.08               75.55            42.16
                         Dadra & Nagar Haveli                 104           138          71            67        0.02               39.78            33.57
                         Daman & Diu                           **           102          52            50        0.01               26.07            28.62
                         Delhi                               6220          9420        5155          4265        1.15               53.00            51.45
                         Lakshadweep                           40            52          27            25        0.01               26.53            28.47
                         Pondicherry                          604           808         408           400        0.10               28.15            33.64
                                                                                  

        
                           * The 1991 Census has not yet been conducted in Jammu & Kashmir.  The population figures are as per projections prepared by the
                             Standing Committee of Experts on Population Projections, October, 1989
        
                          ** Include in Goa
        
                           - Not available
        
                     Source: Census of India 1981, Series 1, Part XII, Census Atlas National Volume, New Delhi 1988
                                Census of India, 1991, Series 1, Paper 2, Final Population Totals, New Delhi, 1993

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EDUCATION FOR ALL 

                                                                               Table 5
        
                                                           Distribution of Population by Age Groups
                                                                                  

                         State/Union Territory         % Urban                        Percentage Distribution of Population by Age Groups: 1981
                                                       Population                0-4            5-14             15-44           45-59              60+
                                                       1991                   R      U       R        U       R         U         R      U       U      R
                                                                                  

        
                         INDIA                             25.71            12.91  11.55   27.57    24.98   41.77     47.96     10.88  10.08    6.84   5.36
                         Andhra Pradesh                    26.89            12.29  11.76   26.69    25.77   42.07     47.52     11.79   9.96    7.14   5.12
                         Arunachal Pradesh                 12.89            14.32  13.36   25.38    21.82   44.52     57.34     10.75   6.04    5.00   1.33
                         Assam                             11.10              -      -       -        -       -         -         -      -       -      -
                         Bihar                             13.14            13.54  12.25   28.33    27.06   40.78     46.46     10.30   9.27    7.02   4.93
                         Goa                               41.01            10.37   9.95   25.57    23.65   45.89     50.93     10.92   9.62    7.24   5.84
                         Gujarat                           34.49            12.72  11.74   27.19    24.52   43.47     49.03     10.29   9.59    6.30   5.10
                         Haryana                           24.63            13.56  12.56   29.53    24.48   40.62     47.54      9.65   9.48    6.62   5.73
                         Himachal Pradesh                   8.69            13.03  10.74   27.13    21.75   41.25     51.54     10.86  10.85    7.70   5.06
                         Jammu & Kashmir                   23.83            13.52  10.87   28.47    26.34   42.16     48.49      9.74   9.77    6.09   4.51
                         Karnataka                         30.92            12.72  11.93   27.64    25.50   41.98     47.20     10.62   9.54    6.99   5.70
                         Kerala                            26.39            10.97   9.91   24.54    22.95   45.95     48.63     10.90  11.36    7.62   7.17
                         Madhya Pradesh                    23.18            13.87  12.48   28.10    26.12   40.58     46.78     10.64   9.51    6.79   5.07
                         Maharashtra                       38.69            12.29  11.41   27.55    24.12   41.28     49.14     11.69  10.15    7.11   5.07
                         Manipur                           27.52            12.74  13.14   26.67    25.96   45.08     45.12      9.61   9.54    5.82   6.02
                         Meghalaya                         18.60            15.22  12.41   28.35    24.84   42.99     50.17      8.86   8.45    4.52   4.00
                         Mizoram                           46.10            14.59  13.53   25.89    23.54   45.48     50.61      9.10   8.12    4.60   3.89
                         Nagaland                          17.21            11.48  12.84   25.20    24.88   46.31     54.14     10.02   5.87    6.72   1.69
                         Orissa                            13.38            11.84  12.03   28.00    26.01   42.30     48.04     11.22   9.20    6.62   4.66
                         Punjab                            29.55            11.76  12.05   25.41    23.58   43.72     48.28     10.52   9.83    8.55   6.02
                         Rajasthan                         22.88            14.41  13.08   28.92    26.67   40.18     45.64     10.21   9.35    6.26   5.20
                         Sikkim                             9.10            14.28  12.30   26.32    22.11   45.53     55.54      9.13   7.05    4.67   2.89
                         Tamil Nadu                        34.15            11.48  10.53   23.79    23.61   44.86     48.55     13.07  11.47    6.79   5.84
                         Tripura                           15.30            11.91   8.96   28.25    23.82   43.07     50.64      9.66   9.91    7.10   6.64
                         Uttar Pradesh                     19.84            13.68  12.74   28.49    27.34   39.68     44.61     11.01   9.82    7.11   5.41
                         West Bengal                       27.48            12.50   8.74   28.50    22.75   43.69     51.48      9.76  11.30    5.50   5.63
        
                         Andaman & Nicobar Is.             26.71            15.15  12.35   26.00    23.18   47.24     54.05      8.31   8.34    3.23   1.91
                         Chandigarh                        89.69            13.22  11.70   23.41    21.44   50.50     54.02      7.92   8.85    4.94   3.96
                         Dadra & Nagar Haveli               8.47            14.72  13.32   27.89    27.13   43.28     47.04     10.08   8.79    4.02   3.72
                         Daman & Diu                       46.80              *      *       *        *       *         *         *       *      *      *
                         Delhi                             89.93            14.12  11.83   27.45    23.24   44.66     50.72      8.53   9.67    5.19   4.43
                         Lakshadweep                       56.31            14.58  13.12   28.44    26.29   41.92     44.98     10.62  10.22    4.44   5.39
                         Pondicherry                       64.00            11.94  11.28   25.20    24.69   44.92     46.45     11.36  10.73    6.57   6.85
                                                                                  

                           ** Excluding Assam, 1981 and Projected population of Jammu & Kashmir in 1991
        
                            * Included in Goa
        
                       Note:        1. All ages including age not stated
                                    2. R = Rural U = Urban
        
                       Source:      Census of India 1981, Series 1 Part XII (Census Atlas National Volume), New Delhi, 1988
                                    Census of India 1991, Series 1, Paper - 2 of 1992, Final Population Totals, New Delhi 1993

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EDUCATION FOR ALL 

                                                                               Table 6
        
                                                       Distribution of Scheduled Castes Population
        
                                                                                1981 and 1991
                                                                                  

                         State/Union Territory      Scheduled             No. of        Percentage of            Ranking of          Distrubution of 100
                                                    Caste                 Scheduled     Scheduled Caste          States/ Union       Members of
                                                    Population            Castes        Population to Total      Territories         Scheduled Castes
                                                                                        Population                                   among State/U.T
                                                       1991               1991            1981         1991        1991              1981          1991
                                                                                  

        
                         INDIA*                   138223277               1091            15.81       16.48                        100.00        100.00
                         Andhra Pradesh            10592066                 59            14.87       15.93         14               7.64          7.66
                         Arunachal Pradesh             4052                 16             0.46        0.47         27                Neg           Neg
                         Assam                      1659412                 16              -          7.40         20                  -          1.20
                         Bihar                     12571700                 23            14.51       14.55         15               9.73          9.10
                         Goa                          24364                  5             2.08        2.08         23               0.02          0.02
                         Gujarat                    3060358                 30             7.15        7.41         19               2.34          2.21
                         Haryana                    3250933                 37            19.07       19.75          5               2.36          2.35
                         Himachal Pradesh           1310296                 56            24.62       25.34          2               1.01          0.95
                         Jammu & Kashmir                 *                  13             8.31          *           *                 *             * 
                         Karnataka                  7369279                101            15.07       16.38         10               5.37          5.33
                         Kerala                     2886522                 68            10.01        9.92         18               2.44          2.09
                         Madhya Pradesh             9626679                 47            14.10       14.55         16               7.06          6.96
                         Maharashtra                8757842                 59             7.14       11.09         17               4.30          6.34
                         Manipur                      37105                  7             1.25        2.02         24               0.02          0.03
                         Meghalaya                     9072                 16             0.41        0.51         26                Neg          0.01
                         Mizoram                        691                 16             0.03        0.10         28                Neg          0.01
                         Nagaland                         -                   -             -            -            -                 -             -
                         Orissa                     5129314                 93            14.66       16.20         13               3.71          3.71
                         Punjab                     5742524                 37            26.87       28.31          1               4.33          4.15
                         Rajasthan                  7607820                 59            17.04       17.29          8               5.60          5.50
                         Sikkim                       24084                  4             5.78        5.93         21               0.02          0.02
                         Tamil Nadu                10712266                 76            18.35       19.18          6               8.52          7.75
                         Tripura                     451116                 32            15.12       16.36         11               0.30          0.33
                         Uttar Pradesh             29276455                 66            21.16       21.05          4              22.49         21.18
                         West Bengal               16080611                 59            21.99       23.62          3              11.51         11.63
                         Andaman & Nicobar Is.           -                  -               -            -           -                -             -
                         Chandigarh                  105977                 36            14.09       16.51          9               0.06          0.08
                         Dadra & Nagar Haveli          2730                  4             1.97        1.97         25                Neg           Neg
                         Daman & Diu                   3891                  5             3.56        3.83         22                Neg           Neg
                         Delhi                      1794836                 36            18.03       19.05          7               1.08          1.30
                         Lakshadweep                     -                   -              -            -           -                -             -
                         Pondicherry                 131278                 15            15.99       16.25         12               0.09          0.09
        
                                                                                  

        
                         * Excluding Jammu & Kashmir; Neg = Negligible
                     Note:  The percentage of scheduled castes to total population was 6.24 in Assam and 14.60 in India including Assam in 1971.
                    Source: Census of India 1991 Series 1, Paper-2, 1992, Final Population Totals, New Delhi, 1993