Question

How has the population of India changed over time?

Answer 1

India’s population has increased greatly over time, but the rate of population growth has changed during different periods.

• Slow growth (1901–1921): During this period, India’s population grew very slowly. High death rates due to diseases, poor healthcare, famines, and limited medical facilities affected population growth.
• Rapid growth after 1951: After independence, improvements in healthcare, sanitation, food supply, and medical facilities reduced the death rate. However, the birth rate remained high, resulting in rapid population growth.
• Population continued to rise: India’s population increased from about 36 crore in 1951 to more than 121 crore in 2011. This shows the enormous increase in the number of people living in the country.
• Slower growth in recent decades: In recent years, the population is still increasing, but the growth rate has slowed down. This is mainly because fertility rates have declined as education, awareness, healthcare, and access to family-planning methods have improved.
• India became the most populous country: In 2023, India surpassed China to become the world’s most populous country.
• Large share of world population: India has a very large population compared with other countries and accounts for around 17% of the world’s population.