Major Highlights of Census 2011

1. Population

• The population of India has increased by more than 181 million during the decade 2001-2011.
• Percentage growth in 2001-2011 is 17.64 (males: 17.19 and females: 18.12).
• The 2001-2011 is the 1^st decade (with the exception of 1911-1921) when the absolute increase in population over the ten-year period has been less than in the previous decade. The percentage decadal growth during 2001-2011 has recorded the sharpest decline since Independence.
• Uttar Pradesh (199.5 million) is the most populous State in the country followed by Maharashtra with 112 million. Among 10 million plus states, the size of population varies from almost 200 million in Uttar Pradesh to 10 million in Uttarakhand. This implies that U.P. has 16.5 % of India’s population while Uttarakhand which is an off-shoot of U.P. claims only 0.8 %.
• The percentage decadal growth rates of the five most populous States have declined during 2001-2011 compared to 1991-2001:
  • Uttar Pradesh (25.85% to 20.09%)
  • Maharashtra (22.73% to 15.99%)
  • Bihar (28.62% to 25.07%)
  • West Bengal (17.77 % to 13.93%)
  • Andhra Pradesh (14.59% to 11.10%)
• India is now expected to become the most populous country of the world by 2030 overtaking China sooner than earlier expected. India’s population size is expected to stabilize at 1.8 billion around 2041.

2. Growth Rate

• The growth rate of population in India in the last decade is 17.7% (Rural -12.3%; Urban -31.8%). Meghalaya (27.2%) has recorded the highest decadal growth rate in rural population and Daman & Diu (218.8 %) the highest decadal growth rate in urban population during 2001-2011.

3. Population Density (persons per Sq.km)

• Population density in Census 2011 works out to be 382 showing an increase of 57 points from 2001.
• Delhi (11,297) turns out to be the most densely inhabited followed by Chandigarh (9,252), in all States/UTs, both in 2001 and 2011 Census.
• Among the major States, Bihar occupies the first position with a density of 1106, surpassing West Bengal which occupied the first position during 2001. The minimum population density works out in Arunachal Pradesh (17) for both Censuses.

4. Proportion of Population

• In percentage terms, the rural population constitutes 68.8% and urban population 31.2% of the total population. There has been an increase of 3.4% in the proportion of urban population in the last decade.
• Himachal Pradesh (90.0%) has the largest proportion of rural population, while Delhi (97.5%) has the highest proportion of urban population.

5. Child Population

• The total number of children in the age-group 0-6 is 158.8 million (-5 million since 2001); 21 States and Union Territories now have over 1 million children in the age group 0-6 years. On the other extreme, there are five States and Union Territories in the country that are yet to reach the one hundred thousand mark.
• Uttar Pradesh (29.7 million), Bihar (18.6 million), Maharashtra (12.8 million), Madhya Pradesh (10.5 million) and Rajasthan (10.5 million) constitute 52% children in the age group of 0-6 years.
• Population (0-6 years) 2001-2011 registered minus (-) 3.08 percent growth with – (minus) 2.42 for males and – 3.80 (minus) for females.
• Among the major states, the only exceptions were Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir, which reported some absolute increase in their child population.

6. Overall sex ratio

• Overall sex ratio at the national level has increased by 7 points to reach 940 at Census 2011 as against 933 in Census 2001.
• This is the highest sex ratio recorded since Census 1971 and a shade lower than 1961. Increase in sex ratio is observed in 29 States/UTs. Three major States (J&K, Bihar & Gujarat) have shown decline in sex ratio as compared to Census 2001.
• Kerala with 1084 has the highest sex ratio, followed by Pondicherry with 1038; Daman & Diu has the lowest sex ratio of 618.
• The female to male sex ratio of population historically noted in the contiguous area of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, has improved between 2001 and 2011, but it is still below 900 women per 1000 men. On the other hand, Sex ratio close to unity is recorded in the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

7. Worsening Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years)

• The Child Sex Ratio stands for the number of girls per 1000 boys in the age group 0-6 years.
• Child sex ratio (0-6 years) is 914. Increasing trend in the child sex ratio (0-6) seen in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Mizoram and A&N Islands. In all remaining 27 States/UTs, the child sex ratio show decline over Census 2001.
• Mizoram has the highest child sex ratio (0-6 years) of 971 followed by Meghalaya with 970. Haryana is at the bottom with ratio of 830 followed by Punjab with 846.
• The CSR has continuously declined from 976 in 1961 to 914 in 2011. It should certainly be a cause for concern to our leaders of society and the government.

8. Literacy rate

• Literacy rate has gone up from 64.83 % in 2001 to 74.04 % in 2011 showing an increase of 9.21 percentage points.
• Percentage growth in literacy during 2001-2011 is 38.82; males: 31.98% & females: 49.10%.
• Compared to 2001, in 2011 male literacy rate increased by 6 percentage points but female literacy increased by nearly 12 percentage points, which is viewed as a remarkable achievement.
• Another striking feature is that, out of total decrease of 3.1 crore of illiterates, the females (1.7 crores) top male (1.4 crore) in the list. This trend of rising female literacy will have far reaching consequences which may lead to development of the society. The growth in number of male and female literates is represented by pie.
• Kerala has the highest literacy rate, both for males (96%) and females (92%).
• Bihar is the least literate state at 63.82%, where the male literacy rate is 73% while the female literacy rate is 53%. It means that 50% of the female population is illiterate.

9. Scheduled Caste Population

• The total Scheduled Caste population returned in Census 2011 is 201.4 million. Of this, 153.9 million are in rural areas and 47.5 million in urban areas.
• In terms of proportion, the Scheduled Caste population constitutes 16.6 % of the total population. The proportion during the last Census was 16.2%. There has thus been an increase of 0.4% during the last decade.
• The highest proportion of Scheduled Castes has been recorded in Punjab (31.9 %) and the lowest in Mizoram (0.1%). The Scheduled Castes population in absolute numbers has increased by 34.8 million. This constitutes a decadal growth of 20.8%.
• The highest number of Scheduled Castes has been recorded in Uttar Pradesh (41.4 million) and the lowest in Mizoram (1,218).In terms of gender composition, there are 103.5 million male Scheduled Castes (Rural- 79.1 million and Urban -24.4 million).
• Female Scheduled Castes numbered 97.8 million (Rural - 74.7 million and Urban -23. 1 million).

10. Scheduled Tribe Population

• The total Scheduled Tribe population returned in Census 2011 is 104.3 million. Of this, 93.8 million are in rural areas and 10.5 million in urban areas.
• In terms of proportion, the Scheduled Tribe population constitutes 8.6% of the total population. The proportion during the last Census was 8.2%. There has thus been an increase of 0.4% during the last decade. The highest proportion of Scheduled Tribes has been recorded in Lakshadweep (94.8%) and the lowest in Uttar Pradesh (0.6%).
• The Scheduled Tribes population in absolute numbers has increased by 20.0 million. This constitutes a decadal growth of 23.7%.The highest number of Scheduled Tribes has been recorded in Madhya Pradesh (15.3 million) and the lowest in Daman & Diu (15,363).In terms of gender composition, there are 52.4 million male Scheduled Tribes (Rural -47.1 million and Urban -5.3 million).
• Female Scheduled Tribes number 51.9 million (Rural -46.7 million and Urban -5.2 million).

11. Workers

• As per Census 2011, the total number of workers (who have worked for at least one day during the reference year) in India, is 481.7 million. Of this, 331.9 million workers are males and 149.9 million are females.
• Out of the increase of 79.5 million workers during the decade 2001-2011, male workers have accounted for 56.8 million and female workers 22.7 million.The workers have registered a growth of 19.8%, which is marginally higher than the overall population growth rate of 17.7% during the decade. The male workers have grown by 20.7% and female workers by 17.8%.

12. Work Participation Rates

• The Work Participation Rate (WPR) for the country works out to 39.8%. This is marginally higher than the corresponding WPR of 39.1% in Census 2001.
• The WPR for males has increased to 53.3% in 2011 in comparison to 51.7% in Census 2001. The female WPR has reduced marginally to 25.5% in 2011 from 25.6% in Census 2001.Himachal Pradesh (51.9%) ranks first in WPR for total workers as well as female workers (44.8%). The lowest WPR have been reported from Lakshadweep (29.1%).
• The lowest female WPR has been reported from NCT of Delhi (10.6%). The highest male WPR has been reported in Daman & Diu (71.5%) and lowest in Lakshadweep (46.2%).

13. Demography Dividend and Aging in India

• The UN defines a country as “Ageing” or “Greying Nation” where the proportion of people over 60 reaches 7 percent to total population. By 2011 India has exceeded that proportion (8.0%) and is expected to reach 12.6% in 2025.
• The number of older people has increased from 19 million (i.e. 4 percent of total population) to 77 million and further to roughly 93 million (i.e. 7.5 percent of the total) during the year 2001 and 2011 respectively.
• In 2011, the elderly population accounted for 8.0 percent of total population. For males it was marginally lower at 7.7 percent while for females it was 8.4 percent.
• The size of the Indian elderly (60 years and above) is expected to triple in the next four decades from 92 million to 316 million, constituting around 20 percent of the population by the middle of the century.

14. Slum – Census of India

• The census that covers all 4,041 statutory towns in India found that the slum population in India has increased during 2001-11.
• Over 65 million people live in slums, up from 52 million in 2001, but slum populations have grown slower than the average urban population over the last decade. The average household living in a slum is no larger than an average urban Indian household, with 4.7 family members.
• The report finds that majority of slums were located in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. With over 11 million of its residents in slums, Maharashtra has the highest slum population; 4.6 million of them in ‘identified’ slums. Andhra Pradesh follows with over 10 million in slums, and West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have over 6 million slum residents each. Over 1 million of Delhi’s 1.7 million slum residents live in ‘identified’ slums.
• Newly released census data shows families living in slums have a far better child sex ratio than the urban Indian average. Over a third of India’s slum dwellers live in un-recognized slums.
• The literacy rate in slums is now up to 77.7% but still lags behind the urban average. Both men and women living in slums participate at a higher rate in the workforce than the urban average, even though fewer have employment through the year.

States/Union Territories not Reporting Slums

• Census 2001: 1. Himachal Pradesh; 2. Sikkim; 3. Arunachal Pradesh; 4. Nagaland; 5. Mizoram; 6. Manipur; 7. Daman & Diu; 8. Dadra & Nagar Haveli; 9. Lakshadweep
• Census 2011: 1. Manipur; 2. Daman & Diu; 3. Dadra & Nagar Haveli; 4. Lakshadweep

For effective and efficient decision making, credible information is must. It is the lack of credible information which results into ineffective policies, schemes which ultimately results into wastage of resources. In a developing country like India, effective utilization of resources is must and hence, census is imperative.