6.1. Age Composition

The age structure of the population refers to the proportion of persons in different age groups relative to the total population. The age structure undergoes a shift in response to changes in levels of development and the average life expectancy. Initially, poor medical facilities, prevalence of disease and other factors make for a relatively short life span. Moreover, high infant and maternal mortality rates also have an impact on the age structure.

With development, quality of life improves and with it the life expectancy also improves. This changes the age structure. Consequently, smaller proportions of the population are found in the younger age groups and larger proportions in the older age groups. This is also referred to as the ageing of the population.

The population of a nation is generally grouped into three broad categories:

Children (generally below 15 years): They are economically unproductive and need to be provided with food, clothing, education and medical care.

Working Age (15-59 years): They are economically productive and biologically reproductive. They comprise the working population.

Aged (Above 59 years): They can be economically productive though they and may have retired. They may be working voluntarily but they are not available for employment through recruitment.

Trends in India: Observe Table T2 and Figure S7. What can you infer?