10.1 The population of India, stood at 1,027,015,247 comprising of 531,277,078 males and 495,738,169 females according to the provisional results of Census of India, 2001 India became only the second country in the world after China to officially cross the one billion mark. The estimated global population in 2000 was 6055 million. The populations of the ten most populous countries of the world are given in the Statement-10.1. 

Statement-10.1 

Population of Selected countries 

10.2 Growth of Population

The population of India has increased by 180.6 million during the decade 1991-2001 in absolute terms, which is more than the estimated population of Brazil, the fifth most populous country in the world. Although, the net addition in population during each decade has increased consistently, the change in net addition has shown a steady declining trend over the decades starting from 1961. While 27.9 million more people were added between the decades 1981-91 then between 1971-81, this number declined to 17.6 million for the decades between 1981-91 and 1991-2001. This implies that although India continues to grow in size, its pace of net addition is on the decrease.

The percentage decadal growth during 1991-2001 has registered the sharpest decline since independence. It has declined from 23.86 percent for 1981-1991 to 21.34 percent for the period 1991-2001, a decrease of 2.52-percentage point. The average exponential growth rate for the corresponding period declined from 2.14 percent per annum to 1.93 percent per annum. The percentage decadal growth indicates a decline from 24.80 percent during the decade 1961-71 to 24.66 percent during the decade 1971-81, while the average annual exponential growth rate shows an increase from 2.20 to 2.22. Population growth since 1901 is given below in Statement-10.2.

Statement-10.2
Population and its growth, India : 1901-2001 

Source: Census of India ‘Provisional population Totals (Paper 1 of 2001)’.

10.3 Rural-Urban Population and decadal variations from 1951-2001: 

Sex-wise/rural-urban population and decadal variations after independence are shown in Statement-10.3 below. During the last five decades the male population increased by 2.86 times, the female population increased by 2.82 times and the total population increased by 2.84 times. The rural population increased by 2.48 times, whereas the urban population increased by 4.57 times during the same period. The number of rural-males and rural-females increased by 2.48 times while urban males increased by 4.68 times and urban females increased by 4.45 times during this period. During the last five decades India witnessed a fluctuating decadal growth in population. The decadal growth rate was 21.64% in 1951-61, it increased to 24.80% in 1961-71 and thereafter decreased to 24.66%, 23.85% and 21.35 in 1971-81, 1981-91, 1991-2001 respectively. Rural Urban population of different States/UTs as per Census 2001, is given in Table-21. 

Statement-10.3
RURAL-URBAN POPULATION AND DECADAL VARIATION 

Source: Census of India

10.4 Child Population:

The actual child population for 1991 and the projected child population figures for the years 1997 to 2001 are given in the following Statement-10.4. State wise projected child male/ female population for the year 2001 in the age groups 6-11, 11-14 and 14-18 years is given in Table- 22 & 23.

Statement-10.4
ACTUAL CHILD POPULATION 1991 AND PROJECTED CHILD POPULATION 1997-2001

SOURCE: Technical Group on Population Projections, Planning Commission

10.5 Sex-Ratio

The sex ratio in India has all along been adverse with regard to females. The sex ratio was steadily declining from 1901 to 1991 as may be seen from the Statement-10.5 given below. During the year 1901, the sex ratio was 972, which came down to 927 during 1991 but the same increased slightly to 933 in 2001. State wise details of sex ratio, decadal growth rate and percentage of population are given in Table-24.

Statement-10.5