Exam-useful questions from this chapter, grouped by marks, each with a full model answer. Try writing the answer yourself first, then check it against this one.
1 1-Mark Questions
Q. Define Census.
Answer: A Census is the official, complete count of a country’s population; in India it is conducted every 10 years.
Q. Define density of population.
Answer: Density of population is expressed as the number of persons living per unit area.
Q. What is meant by population doubling time?
Answer: Population doubling time is the time taken by any population to double itself at its current annual growth rate.
Q. Name the two components of population growth.
Answer: Population growth has two components: natural growth (assessed from the crude birth and death rates) and induced growth (based on the volume of inward and outward migration).
Q. What percentage of India’s population was rural according to the 2011 Census?
Answer: About 68.8 per cent of India’s total population lived in villages (2011).
Q. Who is called a Marginal Worker?
Answer: A Marginal Worker is a person who works for less than 183 days (or six months) in a year.
Q. Which are the smallest religious groups in India (2011)?
Answer: Jains (0.4%) and Buddhists (0.7%) are the smallest religious groups, each concentrated in only a few selected areas of the country.
Q. Which is India’s largest language family, and what is its share?
Answer: The Indo-European (Aryan) family is India’s largest language family, accounting for a 73 per cent share.
2 2-Mark Questions
Q. Distinguish between physiological density and agricultural density.
Answer: Physiological density = total population ÷ net cultivated area, while agricultural density = total agricultural population ÷ net cultivable area. Both give a better human-land ratio than crude density because they relate population to the cultivated land actually available, not to the total area.
Q. Write the formula for decadal growth rate and explain its symbols.
Answer: The decadal growth rate g = [(p2 − p1) / p1] × 100, where p1 is the population of the base year and p2 is the population of the present year.
Q. Distinguish between a Main Worker and a Marginal Worker.
Answer: As per the Standard Census Definition, a Main Worker is a person who works for at least 183 days (six months) in a year, while a Marginal Worker is a person who works for less than 183 days in a year.
Q. Write a short note on the National Youth Policy (NYP-2014).
Answer: The National Youth Policy (NYP-2014), launched in February 2014, proposes a holistic vision for the youth of India: ‘To empower the youth of the country to achieve their full potential, and through them enable India to find its rightful place in the community of nations.’ It defines ‘youth’ as persons in the 15-29 years age group.
Q. Name the state with the lowest and the state with the highest population density in India (2011).
Answer: Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest density, 17 persons per sq km, and Bihar the highest among the states, 1,102 persons per sq km. The National Capital Territory of Delhi is higher still (11,297 persons per sq km) but it is a Union Territory, not a state.
Q. Explain, with examples, the variation in the size of villages in India.
Answer: The size of villages varies considerably: it is less than 200 persons in the hill states of north-eastern India, Western Rajasthan and the Rann of Kuchchh, but as high as 17 thousand persons in the states of Kerala and in parts of Maharashtra.
Q. Name the four occupational categories used by the 2011 Census for India’s working population.
Answer: The 2011 Census divides India’s working population into four major categories: (1) Cultivators, (2) Agricultural Labourers, (3) Household Industrial Workers and (4) Other Workers.
3 4-Mark Questions
Q. Explain the physical factors affecting the distribution of population in India.
Answer: Climate, along with terrain and availability of water, largely determines the pattern of population distribution. (i) Terrain: the level, fertile North Indian Plains, the deltas and the Coastal Plains support a much higher proportion of population than the rugged Himalayas and the hilly interior districts of the southern and central Indian states. (ii) Climate: areas with a favourable climate attract and hold people, while some of the north-eastern and western states have climatic conditions that keep population thin. (iii) Availability of water: plains and deltas with assured water from rivers can support intensive agriculture and dense settlement. (iv) Physical factors are not the whole story: the chapter notes that development of irrigation (Rajasthan), availability of mineral and energy resources (Jharkhand) and development of transport networks (Peninsular states) have raised population concentration in areas that were earlier thinly populated.
Q. Explain the socio-economic and historical factors affecting the distribution of population in India.
Answer: Important socio-economic and historical factors include the evolution of settled agriculture and agricultural development, the pattern of human settlement, and the development of transport networks, industrialisation and urbanisation. Development of irrigation (Rajasthan), availability of mineral and energy resources (Jharkhand) and development of transport networks (Peninsular States) have led to moderate-to-high concentration of population in areas that were earlier thinly populated. River plains and coastal areas remain regions of large population concentration because of an early history of human settlement, even where natural resources there show signs of degradation, while the urban regions of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Jaipur draw large numbers of rural-urban migrants through industrial development and urbanisation.
Q. Describe the four phases of India’s population growth.
Answer: Phase I (1901-1921): the stagnant or stationary phase, with a very low growth rate and even a negative rate during 1911-1921, caused by poor health and medical services, illiteracy and an inefficient distribution of food and other necessities.
Phase II (1921-1951): the period of steady population growth, as improved health and sanitation brought down the mortality rate while the crude birth rate remained high, despite the Great Economic Depression and the Second World War.
Phase III (1951-1981): the period of population explosion, with an average annual growth rate as high as 2.2 per cent, caused by a rapid fall in the mortality rate along with a high fertility rate, plus increased international migration.
Phase IV (post-1981): the growth rate, though still high, has started slowing down gradually, mainly because of a falling crude birth rate linked to a higher mean age at marriage and improved female education.
Q. Describe the regional variation in population growth rates among Indian states between 1991 and 2011.
Answer: During 1991-2001, states like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry and Goa showed a low growth rate not exceeding 20 per cent, with Kerala registering the country’s lowest rate (9.4 per cent). A continuous belt of states from west to east, comprising Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, had a growth rate averaging 20-25 per cent. During 2001-2011, growth rates fell for almost all states compared to the previous decade; the fall was lowest for Andhra Pradesh (3.5 percentage points) and highest for Maharashtra (6.7 percentage points), while Tamil Nadu (3.9 percentage points) and Puducherry (7.1 percentage points) actually registered an increase.
Q. Explain the distribution and growth of urban population in India.
Answer: The proportion of urban population in India (31.16 per cent) is quite low but is showing a much faster rate of growth, due to enhanced economic development and improved health and hygienic conditions. Rural-urban migration is conspicuous along the main road and rail links of the North Indian Plains and around industrial areas such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru-Mysuru, Madurai-Coimbatore, Ahmedabad-Surat, Delhi-Kanpur and Ludhiana-Jalandhar. Urbanisation has remained low in the agriculturally stagnant middle and lower Ganga Plains, Telangana, non-irrigated Western Rajasthan, the remote hilly tribal areas of the north-east, the flood-prone areas of Peninsular India and the eastern part of Madhya Pradesh.
Q. Describe the spatial distribution of religious communities in India (any four communities).
Answer: Hindus are distributed as a major group in most states (70-90 per cent and above), except districts along the Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Pak borders, Jammu & Kashmir, and the hill states of the north-east. Muslims, the largest religious minority, are concentrated in Jammu & Kashmir, certain districts of West Bengal and Kerala, many districts of Uttar Pradesh, in and around Delhi and in Lakshadweep, forming a majority in the Kashmir valley and Lakshadweep. Christians are distributed mostly along the Western coast around Goa and Kerala, and in the hill states of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and the Chotanagpur area. Sikhs are mostly concentrated in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
Q. Explain, with examples, the sectoral shift in India’s occupational composition.
Answer: In 2011, 54.6 per cent of India’s working population were cultivators and agricultural labourers (the primary sector), only 3.8 per cent worked in household industries, and 41.6 per cent were other workers in the secondary and tertiary sectors. The proportion of workers in the agricultural sector has declined over the last few decades, from 58.2 per cent in 2001 to 54.6 per cent in 2011, and this has been accompanied by a rise in participation in the secondary and tertiary sectors: a shift of workers from farm-based to non-farm-based occupations.
4 6-Mark Questions
Q. Discuss the spatial pattern of density of population in India. (Exercise-based)
Answer: The density of population in India (2011) is 382 persons per sq km, up from 117 persons per sq km in 1951, an increase of more than 200 persons per sq km over fifty years. Its spatial variation is very wide: it ranges from as low as 17 persons per sq km in Arunachal Pradesh to 11,297 persons per sq km in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Among the northern states, Bihar (1,102), West Bengal (1,029) and Uttar Pradesh (828) have higher densities, while among the peninsular states, Kerala (859) and Tamil Nadu (555) also have relatively high densities. States such as Assam, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand and Odisha have moderate densities. The Himalayan hill states and the north-eastern states (excluding Assam) have relatively low densities, while the Union Territories (excluding the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) have very high densities. Because simple density is a crude measure, the physiological density (total population ÷ net cultivated area) and agricultural density (total agricultural population ÷ net cultivable area) are used to get a better picture of the pressure of population on cultivated land.
Q. Give an account of the occupational structure of India’s population. (Exercise-based)
Answer: Economically, India’s population is divided into three groups: main workers, marginal workers and non-workers. A main worker works for at least 183 days a year and a marginal worker for less. The proportion of workers (both main and marginal) in India was only 39.8 per cent (2011), leaving about 60 per cent as non-workers, pointing to a large dependent population and the possible existence of a large number of unemployed or under-employed people. The work participation rate itself varies from about 29.1 per cent in Lakshadweep to about 51.9 per cent in Himachal Pradesh, and tends to be higher in less economically developed areas because more manual workers are needed for subsistence-level activities. The 2011 Census divides the working population into four occupational categories: Cultivators, Agricultural Labourers, Household Industrial Workers and Other Workers. Of the total working population, 54.6 per cent are cultivators and agricultural labourers, 3.8 per cent work in household industries, and 41.6 per cent are other workers. Male workers outnumber female workers in all three sectors, though the share of female workers is relatively higher in the primary sector. Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland have a larger share of cultivators, while Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh have a higher proportion of agricultural labourers; the highly urbanised areas of Delhi, Chandigarh and Puducherry have a very large proportion of workers in other services, indicating both limited farming land and large-scale urbanisation and industrialisation.
Q. Describe the four phases of India’s population growth, along with the reasons for each.
Answer: Phase I (1901-1921), the stagnant/stationary phase: the growth rate was very low, even recording a negative rate during 1911-1921 (-0.31%). Causes: poor health and medical services, widespread illiteracy, and an inefficient distribution system for food and other basic necessities kept both the birth rate and the death rate high.
Phase II (1921-1951), the period of steady population growth: an overall improvement in health and sanitation across the country brought down the mortality rate, while better transport and communication improved the distribution system. The crude birth rate remained high, so the growth rate was higher than in the previous phase. This happened despite the Great Economic Depression of the 1920s and the Second World War.
Phase III (1951-1981), the period of population explosion: the average annual growth rate was as high as 2.2 per cent, caused by a rapid fall in the mortality rate along with a high fertility rate. After Independence, developmental activities under centralised planning improved people’s living conditions, and increased international migration of Tibetans, Bangladeshis, Nepalis and people from Pakistan also contributed to the high growth rate.
Phase IV (post-1981), the slowing phase: the growth rate, though still high, has started slowing down gradually. A downward trend in the crude birth rate is held responsible, in turn affected by a rise in the mean age at marriage and improved quality of life, particularly the education of females. The World Development Report projects that India’s population will touch 1,350 million by 2025.
Q. Give a detailed account of the linguistic and religious composition of India.
Answer: According to Grierson’s Linguistic Survey of India (1903-1928), India had 179 languages and as many as 544 dialects; in modern India, about 22 languages are scheduled. Among the scheduled languages, Hindi speakers have the highest percentage, while Sanskrit, Bodo and Manipuri speakers are the smallest language groups (2011). Table 1.2 groups India’s major languages into four families: Austric (Nishada, 1.38%), Dravidian (Dravida, 20%), Sino-Tibetan (Kirata, 0.85%) and Indo-European (Aryan, 73%), sourced from Ahmed, A. (1999), Social Geography, Rawat Publication, New Delhi.
Religion is one of the most dominant forces affecting the cultural and political life of the majority of Indians. Table 1.3 (2011) records Hindus at 79.8% (966.3 million), Muslims at 14.2% (172.2 million), Christians at 2.3% (27.8 million), Sikhs at 1.7% (20.8 million), Buddhists at 0.7% (8.4 million), Jains at 0.4% (4.5 million), Other Religions and Persuasions at 0.7% (7.9 million), and Religion Not Stated at 0.2% (2.9 million). Hindus form a major group in most states; Muslims, the largest religious minority, are concentrated in Jammu & Kashmir, parts of West Bengal and Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Lakshadweep; Christians are concentrated along the western coast and the north-eastern hill states; Sikhs mainly in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi; and Jains and Buddhists in a few selected areas of the country.
5 Case Studies
(A) 1 mark What was India’s total population according to the 2011 Census?
Answer: 1,210 million.
(B) 1 mark Where does India rank in the world by population, and after which country?
Answer: India is the second most populous country in the world, after China.
(C) 2 marks According to the passage, what problems is a large population argued to cause, and what is the reasoning?
Answer: According to the passage, it is often argued that such a large population invariably puts pressure on India’s limited resources and is also responsible for many socio-economic problems in the country.
(A) 1 mark What is the time threshold that separates a Main Worker from a Marginal Worker?
Answer: 183 days (or six months): a person working this many days or more in a year is a Main Worker, and fewer is a Marginal Worker.
(B) 1 mark What proportion of India’s population were workers (main and marginal) in 2011?
Answer: 39.8 per cent.
(C) 2 marks Based on the passage, what does the large proportion of non-workers (60 per cent) indicate?
Answer: It indicates an economic status with a large dependent population, which further points to the possible existence of a large number of unemployed or under-employed people.