Overview of Demographic Attributes

• Population Composition – Population includes males and females of different age groups; some are workers while others (children, elderly, students) are non-workers.
• Rural and Urban Population – Population is divided based on place of residence: rural (villages) and urban (towns and cities).
• Rural Characteristics – Majority depend on agriculture and primary activities; social relations are close and simple lifestyle.
• Urban Characteristics – People depend on industry, trade and services; life is fast, formal and faces problems like congestion and pollution.
• India’s Rural–Urban Share (2011) – About 68.84% live in rural areas and 31.16% in urban areas; urban population was 377 million.

• Regional Variation in Rural Population – Himachal Pradesh has the highest rural population (about 90%); Bihar, Assam and Odisha have over 80% rural population.
• States with High Rural Share – Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have more than three-fourths population in rural areas.
• Lowest Rural Population – Delhi and Chandigarh have less than 3% rural population.
• Urban Population Growth – Urban population increased from 10.84% (1901) to 31.16% (2011); total urban population reached 377 million in 2011.
• Reason for Urban Growth – Rapid increase mainly due to rural–urban migration; urban growth rate has slowed slightly after 1980s.

• Meaning of Urbanisation – It is the process of change from rural to urban society; includes increase in urban population and non-agricultural activities.
• Most Urbanised States – Goa (62%) is the most urbanised; among large states Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra have high urban population.
• Least Urbanised States – Himachal Pradesh has the lowest urbanisation (about 10%); many northern and northeastern states are below national average.
• Highly Urbanised UTs – Delhi and Chandigarh have over 97% urban population.
• Urban Population Concentration – More than half of India’s urban population lives in five states: Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

• Meaning of Sex Ratio – Sex ratio means the number of females per 1,000 males in the population.
• India’s Sex Ratio (2011) – India’s overall sex ratio is 940, showing fewer females than males.
• Trend Over Time – Sex ratio declined for many decades but improved slightly from 933 (2001) to 940 (2011).
• Causes of Low Sex Ratio – Preference for male child, dowry deaths, female foeticide, neglect of girls, high maternal deaths, and male-dominated migration.
• Highest Sex Ratio – Kerala (1084) and Puducherry (1038) have more females than males.
• Lowest Sex Ratio – Very low in Daman & Diu (618), Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Chandigarh and Delhi.
• Effect of Migration – Male migration to cities lowers sex ratio in urban areas (e.g., Delhi), while hill states show higher female ratio due to male out-migration.

• Age Groups in India – Population is divided into three groups:
  a) Young (0–14 years)
  b) Working age (15–59 years)
  c) Old (60+ years)
• India’s Age Structure (2011) – About 30.76% are young, over 60% are in working age group, and 8.6% are elderly.
• Dependent vs Working Population – Young and old people are economically dependent, while the 15–59 age group is economically active and supports others.
• Age-Sex Pyramid – A diagram showing age and sex structure; base shows young population and top shows old population.
• Future Trend – India currently has a large working population, but by 2050–2100 the elderly population will increase, leading to higher dependency.

• Meaning of Literacy – A person who can read and write a simple message with understanding (age 7 years and above) is considered literate.
• Literacy Rate (2011) – India’s literacy rate is 74.04% (age 7+); males 82.14%, females 65.46%.
• Historical Trend – Literacy was only 5.35% in 1901; it increased steadily after Independence and crossed 50% in 2001.
• Literacy Decade (1991–2001) – First time the number of illiterates declined in absolute terms.
• Male–Female Gap – The gap reduced from 26.62% (1981) to 16.68% (2011), showing improvement in female literacy.
• Highest Literacy – Kerala (93.91%) is the highest; among UTs, Lakshadweep (92.28%).
• Lowest Literacy – Bihar (63.82%) has the lowest literacy rate; several northern and eastern states are below national average.

\[\text{Crude Literacy Rate}=\frac{\text{Literate population}}{\text{Total population}}\times100\]

\[\text{Effective Literacy Rate}=\frac{\text{Literate population 7 years and above}}{\text{Population in the age group of seven years and above}}\times100\]

• Participation Rate – It is the percentage of workers in the total population.
• Main and Marginal Workers –
  i. Main workers: Worked for 6 months or more in a year.
  ii. Marginal workers: Worked for less than 6 months.
• India’s Participation Rate (2011) – Overall rate is 39.8%; males 51.7%, females 25.6%.
• Rural–Urban Difference – Participation is higher in rural areas; female participation in urban areas is very low (around 11%).
• Rural Employment Pattern – About 81% of rural workers are engaged in agriculture (cultivators and agricultural labourers).
• Regional Variation – Male participation is high in northeastern and tribal states; female participation is very low in Punjab, Haryana, U.P. and Rajasthan.
• Economic Development Link – Low female participation and heavy dependence on agriculture show underdevelopment; better development can increase employment and reduce gender gap.

• Occupational Composition – It refers to the distribution of workers in different types of jobs. In India, most workers are engaged in agriculture (cultivators and agricultural labourers).
• Workforce Structure (2011) – About 24.6% are cultivators, 30% agricultural labourers, 4% in household industries, and the rest in other services and sectors.
• Rural–Urban Difference – Rural people mainly work in primary activities (agriculture), while urban people are engaged in secondary and tertiary activities (industry, trade, services).
• Urban Problems – Rapid rural-urban migration causes overcrowding, slums, unemployment, housing shortage and pressure on civic amenities.
• Importance of Sex Composition – Sex ratio helps in understanding social and economic conditions. India’s sex ratio improved slightly to 940 in 2011, but it is still low.
• Importance of Age Structure – Age composition helps in planning for education, employment, health care, manpower and social services.
• Role of Literacy & Participation Rate – Literacy promotes development and awareness. India’s work participation rate is below 40%, which shows the need for more employment opportunities for economic growth.