4.4.2. Trend in Growth of Indian Population

It is significant that the percentage decadal growth during 2001-11 has registered the sharpest decline since Independence. It declined from 23.87% for 1981-1991 to 21.54% for the period 1991-2001, a decrease of 2.33 percentage points. For 2001-2011, this decadal growth has become 17.64%, a further decrease of 3.90 percentage points.

Similarly, the average exponential growth rate for 2001-2011 has declined to 1.64% per annum from 1.97% per annum during 1991-2001. The average annual exponential growth rate during 1981-1991 was 2.16.