India: Population

1. Which of the following socio-economic factors tend to keep birth rate

Which of the following socio-economic factors tend to keep birth rate in India significantly high ?
1. Poverty
2. Joint family system
3. Urbanisation
4. Universal marriage
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1 and 2 only
3 and 4 only
1, 2 and 4 only
1, 2, 3 and 4
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UPSC SO-Steno – 2017
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Options 1, 2, and 4 represent socio-economic factors that tend to keep the birth rate significantly high in India. Poverty often leads to lack of access to education and family planning, and children may be seen as assets. The joint family system can reduce the perceived cost and burden of raising multiple children. Universal marriage, especially early marriage, extends the reproductive period. Urbanisation (Factor 3), however, is generally associated with factors that *reduce* birth rates, such as increased access to education, employment opportunities for women, awareness and availability of family planning, higher cost of living, and smaller living spaces. Therefore, urbanisation tends to lower birth rates.
– Socio-economic factors play a significant role in determining fertility rates.
– Factors like poverty, traditional family structures, and marriage patterns can contribute to higher birth rates.
– Factors like urbanisation, education, and access to healthcare/family planning tend to reduce birth rates.
– Other factors contributing to high birth rates in certain areas might include high infant mortality rates (leading to a desire for more children), lack of awareness or access to contraception, and cultural/religious beliefs favoring larger families.
– India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has been declining over the decades, indicating that the influence of these factors is diminishing overall, although they still contribute to regional variations.

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2. As per the census 2011, which one of the following States in India has

As per the census 2011, which one of the following States in India has the highest percentage of Scheduled Tribes population in its total population ?

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Mizoram
Arunachal Pradesh
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Madhya Pradesh
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UPSC SO-Steno – 2017
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Option A is correct. As per the Census 2011 data, Mizoram has the highest percentage of Scheduled Tribes (ST) population in its total population among the given options. Over 90% of Mizoram’s population was identified as STs in 2011.
– ST population percentage varies significantly across states and union territories in India.
– States in the North-East generally have a high percentage of ST population.
– According to Census 2011, the ST population percentages were approximately: Mizoram (94.4%), Arunachal Pradesh (68.8%), Madhya Pradesh (21.1%), Andaman & Nicobar Islands (7.5%). Lakshadweep and Mizoram had the highest percentages overall among states/UTs.
– Madhya Pradesh has the largest *absolute* number of STs in India, but not the highest *percentage*.

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3. In which year was the first All India Census attempted and from which

In which year was the first All India Census attempted and from which year did the Decennial Census become a regular feature ?

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1861 and 1881 respectively
1776 and 1801 respectively
1872 and 1881 respectively
1881 and 1891 respectively
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UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2023
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The first attempt at an All India Census was made in 1872, and the Decennial Census became a regular feature starting from 1881.
The census in India is conducted by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The 1872 census was conducted under Lord Mayo and was not synchronous across the whole country. The first synchronous decennial census was conducted in 1881 under Lord Ripon, and it has been held regularly every ten years thereafter.

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4. As per the Census of India 2011, which one among the following Schedul

As per the Census of India 2011, which one among the following Scheduled Languages of India has the highest percentage of speakers ?

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Bengali
Marathi
Telugu
Urdu
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2023
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As per the Census of India 2011, among the given options, Bengali has the highest percentage of speakers among the Scheduled Languages listed.
– The Census of India 2011 provides detailed data on the distribution of speakers for various languages in India, including the 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution (Scheduled Languages).
– According to the 2011 census data:
– Hindi is the most spoken language in India, with about 43.63% of the population reporting it as their mother tongue.
– Bengali is the second most spoken language, with about 8.03% of the population.
– Marathi is the third most spoken language, with about 6.86% of the population.
– Telugu is the fourth most spoken language, with about 6.70% of the population.
– Urdu is listed as the 7th most spoken language, with about 4.19% of the population.
– Comparing the percentages for the given options (Bengali 8.03%, Marathi 6.86%, Telugu 6.70%, Urdu 4.19%), Bengali has the highest percentage of speakers.
Understanding the linguistic diversity of India and the relative percentages of speakers for major languages is important for understanding the social and cultural landscape of the country. The Census data is the primary source for this information. The Eighth Schedule lists the official languages recognized by the Government of India.

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5. Which one of the following has recorded the highest decadal (2001 – 11

Which one of the following has recorded the highest decadal (2001 – 11) growth rate of population as per Census 2011?

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Rajasthan
Arunachal Pradesh
Puducherry
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
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As per Census 2011 data, Dadra and Nagar Haveli recorded the highest decadal population growth rate (2001-2011) among the given options, with a growth rate of 55.9%.
– Decadal growth rate is the percentage change in population over a ten-year period.
– Union Territories and states with significant migration due to economic opportunities often show higher growth rates.
Among the given options, Rajasthan’s growth rate was 21.3%, Arunachal Pradesh was 26.0%, and Puducherry was 28.1%. Nagaland had the lowest decadal growth rate among all states and UTs (-0.6%), while Meghalaya had the highest among states (27.9%).

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6. Which one among the following is the most important reason for female

Which one among the following is the most important reason for female migration in India ?

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Work/Employment
Marriage
Education
Business
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2021
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The correct answer is Marriage.
Based on census data and various demographic studies in India, marriage is the predominant reason for female migration. Social and cultural norms often lead women to move to their husband’s residence or village after marriage.
While work/employment is a significant driver for male migration, it is a less frequent primary reason for female migration compared to marriage, especially in rural-to-rural migration streams which constitute a large portion of internal migration in India. Education and business are also reasons for migration but are less significant in overall numbers for female migration compared to marriage.
The 2011 Census of India data indicates that marriage accounted for the largest share (about 66%) of female migration in the country. Work/employment was the reason for only about 2% of female migrants. This pattern highlights the strong influence of social factors on migration decisions for women in India.

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7. 2011 Census has divided the working population of India into four majo

2011 Census has divided the working population of India into four major categories. Which one of the following is NOT one of them ?

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Cultivators
Domestic workers
Household industrial workers
Agricultural Labourers
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UPSC CAPF – 2020
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The 2011 Census of India classifies the total population into Main Workers, Marginal Workers, and Non-workers. Main workers are further classified based on their economic activity. The four major categories used for classifying workers based on occupation in the Indian Census are Cultivators, Agricultural Labourers, Workers in Household Industry, and Other Workers. Domestic workers are a type of occupation that falls under the “Other Workers” category and are not listed as one of the four major classification categories for the entire workforce.
The four main occupational categories used in the Census for classifying workers are Cultivators, Agricultural Labourers, Household Industry Workers, and Other Workers.
‘Other Workers’ include all government servants, municipal employees, teachers, factory workers, mining workers, plantation workers, commercial employees, those engaged in trade, transport, banking, communication, construction, public administration, defence services, domestic servants (domestic workers), etc. who are not Cultivators, Agricultural Labourers, or Household Industry Workers.

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8. In India, approximately what percentage of households still use firewo

In India, approximately what percentage of households still use firewood for cooking as per 2011 Census?

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20%
40%
50%
60%
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2018
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According to the Census of India 2011 data on households using different types of fuel for cooking, 49.0% of households primarily used firewood. This percentage is closest to 50%.
Census data provides official statistics on various aspects of household life, including fuel usage. The 2011 Census data indicated that firewood was the dominant cooking fuel for nearly half of Indian households.
Other major cooking fuels used by households in India as per the 2011 Census included LPG (28.5%), cow dung cake (8.9%), and kerosene (4.5%). The reliance on traditional biomass fuels like firewood has significant implications for health, environment, and gender equity.

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9. Which one of the following is in descending order of Indian States in

Which one of the following is in descending order of Indian States in terms of their density of population (as per 2011 Census)?

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Bihar—Kerala—Uttar Pradesh—West Bengal
West Bengal—Bihar—Kerala—Uttar Pradesh
Bihar—West Bengal—Kerala—Uttar Pradesh
Kerala—West Bengal—Bihar—Uttar Pradesh
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The correct answer is C) Bihar—West Bengal—Kerala—Uttar Pradesh.
According to the 2011 Census of India, the population densities of the mentioned states are:
– Bihar: 1106 persons per sq km
– West Bengal: 1028 persons per sq km
– Kerala: 860 persons per sq km
– Uttar Pradesh: 829 persons per sq km
Arranging these in descending order of population density gives: Bihar > West Bengal > Kerala > Uttar Pradesh.
Population density is calculated as the number of people per unit area (usually square kilometer). Bihar has the highest population density among all Indian states. The national average density according to the 2011 census was 382 persons per sq km.

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10. As per Census 2011, which one of the following is the correct descendi

As per Census 2011, which one of the following is the correct descending order of States in India in respect of sex ratio (female per thousand of males) ?

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West Bengal - Madhya Pradesh - Uttarakhand - Jammu and Kashmir
Madhya Pradesh - West Bengal - Jammu and Kashmir - Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand - West Bengal - Madhya Pradesh - Jammu and Kashmir
West Bengal - Uttarakhand - Madhya Pradesh - Jammu and Kashmir
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2017
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According to Census 2011 data, the sex ratio (females per 1000 males) for the listed states is approximately:
Uttarakhand: 963
West Bengal: 950
Madhya Pradesh: 931
Jammu and Kashmir: 889 (for the undivided state)
Arranging these in descending order of sex ratio gives: Uttarakhand (963) > West Bengal (950) > Madhya Pradesh (931) > Jammu and Kashmir (889).
Sex ratio data for selected Indian states as per Census 2011. Kerala had the highest sex ratio (1084) and Haryana the lowest (879) among major states in 2011.
Sex ratio is an important demographic indicator reflecting the balance between the number of females and males in a population. Regional variations in sex ratio can be influenced by factors like birth rates, mortality rates, migration, and societal practices (e.g., sex-selective abortion, neglect of female children).

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