Demography and Human Development: Census and HDI
Demography is the scientific study of human population, and in Indian examinations it is examined mainly through the Census and through development indices such as the Human Development Index. Census questions are numerical and highly factual, while HDI questions test concepts and ranking. Together they form a scoring topic that combines population statistics with an understanding of how the quality of life is measured. These notes bring out the key Census 2011 figures, the meaning and components of the HDI, and the connected indices that examiners frequently ask about.
What is demography and how is the census conducted?
Demography studies the size, structure, distribution and change of population, including births, deaths and migration. In India the census is the single largest source of demographic data. It is conducted every ten years by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The first census in India was held in 1872 under Lord Mayo, and the first synchronous and complete census was in 1881 under Lord Ripon. The 2011 Census was the fifteenth census overall and the seventh after independence. The census has two phases, house listing and population enumeration, and it is the basis for delimitation, planning and welfare schemes. India's next census has been announced with a reference date in 2027, since the 2021 round was postponed.
Key figures from the Census of India 2011
India's population in 2011 was about 121.08 crore, making it the second most populous country and home to roughly 17.5 per cent of the world's people. The decadal growth rate for 2001 to 2011 was about 17.7 per cent. The population density was 382 persons per square kilometre. The sex ratio was 943 females per thousand males, and the child sex ratio in the age group of zero to six years was 919. The literacy rate was 74.04 per cent, with male literacy at 82.14 per cent and female literacy at 65.46 per cent. About 31.16 per cent of the population lived in urban areas and 68.84 per cent in rural areas. Uttar Pradesh was the most populous state, and Sikkim the least populous. Bihar had the highest density and Arunachal Pradesh the lowest.
Leaders and laggards among states
Kerala led the country on social indicators, recording the highest literacy rate of about 94 per cent and the highest sex ratio of 1084. Haryana recorded the lowest sex ratio of 879. Bihar had the lowest literacy rate of about 61.8 per cent. Bihar also recorded the highest population density at 1106, followed by West Bengal and Kerala. Arunachal Pradesh had the lowest density of 17. Among major states, Meghalaya recorded the highest decadal growth, and Nagaland actually recorded a decline. Goa had the highest share of urban population among states. These comparisons are frequently asked, so the leading and lagging states should be memorised together.
Demographic transition and the demographic dividend
The theory of demographic transition describes how a population moves from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates in stages. In the first stage both rates are high and population is stable; in the second, death rates fall while birth rates remain high, producing rapid growth; in the third, birth rates begin to fall; and in the fourth, both rates are low and population is stable again. India is broadly in the third stage. A young working-age population produces a demographic dividend, a boost to growth when the share of workers is high relative to dependants, but this advantage is temporary and requires education, health and jobs to be realised. The dependency ratio measures the number of dependants per hundred working-age persons.
Human Development Index: meaning and origin
The Human Development Index is a composite measure of average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living. It was introduced in 1990 in the first Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Programme, and was designed by the economist Mahbub ul Haq with contributions from Amartya Sen. The idea was to shift attention from income alone to human well-being, and the HDI is now published every year in the Human Development Report. It is measured on a scale from zero to one, and since 2010 the three dimension indices have been combined using the geometric mean rather than the arithmetic mean.
Components, categories and related indices
Health is measured by life expectancy at birth, education by mean years of schooling for adults and expected years of schooling for children, and standard of living by Gross National Income per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity. The index classifies countries into four groups: very high human development (0.800 and above), high (0.700 to 0.799), medium (0.550 to 0.699) and low (below 0.550). India lies in the medium human development group, with an HDI value of about 0.68 and a rank in the region of 130 in recent reports, which places it above several South Asian neighbours. Other indices published in the same report include the Human Development Index adjusted for inequality, the Gender Development Index, the Gender Inequality Index and the Multidimensional Poverty Index.
Key facts at a glance
- First census in India: 1872 (Lord Mayo); first complete census: 1881 (Lord Ripon).
- Census 2011: fifteenth census, seventh after independence.
- Population 2011: about 121.08 crore; decadal growth about 17.7 per cent.
- Density 2011: 382 per sq km; sex ratio 943; child sex ratio 919.
- Literacy 2011: 74.04 per cent (male 82.14, female 65.46).
- Urban population: 31.16 per cent; rural: 68.84 per cent.
- Most populous state: Uttar Pradesh; least: Sikkim.
- Highest density: Bihar (1106); lowest: Arunachal Pradesh (17).
- Highest literacy and sex ratio: Kerala; lowest sex ratio: Haryana.
- HDI launched in 1990 by UNDP; designed by Mahbub ul Haq with Amartya Sen.
- HDI dimensions: health, education and standard of living.
- HDI scale: 0 to 1; combined by geometric mean since 2010.
- India's HDI category: medium human development.
- Census next round: reference date announced for 2027.
Quick revision points
- Sex ratio is females per thousand males; child sex ratio covers age 0 to 6.
- Literacy is counted for persons aged seven years and above.
- Density is population divided by area in square kilometres.
- Kerala is the best performer on most social indicators.
- Bihar combines high density with low literacy.
- Demographic dividend depends on jobs, education and health.
- HDI uses GNI per capita at PPP, not GDP.
- Multidimensional Poverty Index measures deprivation in health, education and living standards.
How to prepare this topic
- Memorise the headline Census 2011 numbers and compare each with the earlier census.
- Group the state-level leaders and laggards in a table and revise it weekly.
- Learn the four stages of demographic transition with a simple diagram.
- Remember the three HDI dimensions and their exact indicators.
- Note the HDI launch year, the persons behind it and the report that publishes it.
- Read the latest Human Development Report summary to keep the rank current.
Common exam traps
- Confusing the first census (1872) with the first complete census (1881).
- Mixing up the sex ratio (943) with the child sex ratio (919).
- Assuming the HDI is published by the World Bank; it is published by UNDP.
- Thinking HDI uses GDP per capita; it uses GNI per capita at purchasing power parity.
- Forgetting that the HDI uses the geometric mean since 2010.
- Treating urban population as the majority; rural population is nearly 69 per cent.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the first census held in India?
The first census in India was conducted in 1872 during the time of Lord Mayo, but it was not complete or synchronous. The first complete and synchronous census covering the whole country was held in 1881 under Lord Ripon. Since then a census has been conducted every ten years, and the 2011 Census was the fifteenth in the series and the seventh after independence.
Who publishes the Human Development Index and what does it measure?
The Human Development Index is published by the United Nations Development Programme in its annual Human Development Report. It measures average achievement in three dimensions: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living. It was designed to look beyond income alone and is expressed as a value between zero and one.
What are the three components of the Human Development Index?
The health component is measured by life expectancy at birth, the education component by mean years of schooling of adults and expected years of schooling of children, and the income component by Gross National Income per capita at purchasing power parity. Since 2010 these three dimension indices have been combined using the geometric mean.
What is the demographic dividend?
A demographic dividend is the economic advantage a country enjoys when the share of its working-age population is large relative to its dependent population. With fewer dependants, savings and investment rise and growth can accelerate. However, the advantage is temporary, and it can only be converted into real growth if the young population is educated, healthy and able to find productive employment.
Which states lead and lag on literacy and sex ratio?
According to the 2011 Census, Kerala recorded both the highest literacy rate of about 94 per cent and the highest sex ratio of 1084. Bihar had the lowest literacy rate of about 61.8 per cent, and Haryana had the lowest sex ratio of 879. These state-level comparisons are among the most frequently repeated facts in examinations.