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Demographic transition is the transition from a stable population with high mortality and fertility to stable population with low mortality and fertility. During the transition population growth and changes in the age structure of the population are inevitable.
In India, the demographic transition has been relatively slow' but steady. As a result the country was able to avoid adverse effects of too rapid changes in the number and age structure of the population on social and economic development.
Growth of population is the rate in the number of people living in a particular area between two given points of time. The net change between the two points of time is expressed in percentage and is described as the growth rate of population.
The patterns of growth changed between 1901 and 2001 have been plotted in Fig. 13.21 and the relevant data has been given in Table 13.6.
Census Tear 1 | Population 2 | Absolute 3 | Decadal growth rate 4 |
1901 | 23,83,96,327 | — | _ |
1911 | 25,20,93,390 | 1,36,97,063 | 5.75 |
1921 | 25,13,21,213 | -7,72,177 | 0.31—Year of Demographic Divide |
1931 | 27,89,77,238 | 2,76,56,025 | 11.00 |
1941 | 31,86,60,580 | 3,96,83,324 | 14.22 |
1951 | 36,10,88,090 | 4,24,27,510 | 13.31 |
1961 | 43,92,34,771 | 7,81,46,681 | 21.64 |
1971 | 54,81,59,652 | 10,89,24,881 | 24.80 |
1981 | 68,33,29,097 | 13,51,69,455 | 24.66 |
1991 | 84,64,21,039 | 16,30,91,942 | 23.87 |
2001 | 1,02,87,37,436 | 18,23,16,397 | 21.54 |
2011 | 1,210,195,000 | 18,14,57,564 | 17.64 1 |
Source: Census of India, 2011.
As stated at the outset, India has the second largest population in the world after China. The population of India, according to the census of 2011 was 1210.19 million. It is growing at a faster pace. On an average, Indian population is being increasing at a growth rate of over 1.76 per cent per annum as against 1.3 per
cent for the world as a whole and 0.57 per cent for China (2001-2011).
The population of India as recorded at each decennial census from 1901 has grown steadily except for a decrease during the decade of 1911-21. The year 1921 is known as the year of demographic divide in the demographic history of India when mortality started to decline leading to acceleration in the rate of population growth. The decadal growth of population of India has been given in Table 13.6.
It may be observed from Table 13.6 that the total population of India in 1901 was about 238 million which rose to 361 million in 1951 and became 1210.19 million in 2011.
It may also be seen from Table 13.6 that there have been significant turning points in the Census Years of 1921, 1951, and 1981. Thus, the temporal changes in the population growth of India during the 20’1' century may be classified under the following four phases (Fig. 13.21 and Fig. 13.22).
1. Period of Stagnant Population—1901-21
2. Period of Steady Growth—1921-51
3. Period of Rapid Growth—1951-81
4. Period of High Growth with Declining Trend 1981-2011