The essentials
India's population has changed in size, growth rate and composition over time, but these changes are not uniform across the country. The growth rate has been declining since the 1980s, yet the absolute number added each decade is very large because the base population is huge.
Regional variation is striking. The southern states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh began showing low growth rates earlier, helped by higher female literacy, better health care and later marriage. In contrast, several states in the northern Hindi-speaking belt, such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, have had relatively higher growth rates.
Key points
- Falling birth rates, linked with education (especially of women), access to health services and family planning, explain declining growth.
- Adolescent population (10–19 years) forms a large share of India's population. It is a valuable resource but faces challenges such as early marriage, illiteracy (especially among girls), school dropouts, malnutrition, high maternal mortality among adolescent mothers and vulnerability to drug and alcohol abuse.
- India's large young population can become a "demographic dividend" if it is educated, healthy and employed.
- Policies on youth and population aim to improve health, education and skills of young people.
- Migration also changes population in states: states with industrial and urban jobs attract migrants from states with fewer opportunities.
Exam tips
Explain regional differences using factors like female literacy, health care and economic development. Remember the age range of adolescents (10–19 years).
Common mistakes
A falling growth rate does not mean the population is falling; it means the population is increasing more slowly.