GS Paper 2
Syllabus: Issues related to poverty and population, demography etc.
Context:
(this is in continuation to yesterday’s article on population)
- The population share of the youth is starting to taper off as the share of the elderly is expected to steadily surge during 2021-2036.
- The world Population prospects are released by the UN Department of Economics and Social Affairs(UNDESA).
Key Findings in the report:
- Decrease in youth population: Youth in the age group of 15-29 years comprise 27.2 per cent of the population for 2021, which is expected to decrease to 22.7 by 2036.
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- The more populous states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which experienced a rise in the proportion of youth population to total population till 2021, are expected to see a decline from hereon, according to the ‘Youth in India 2022’ report released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
- States such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh are projected to see a higher elderly population than the youth by 2036.
- Bihar and Uttar Pradesh along with Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, are projected to have over half (52 per cent) of the country’s youth,” the report said.
- Fluctuation in population growth: The total youth population is projected to reach around 37cr by 2021 and, thereafter, decrease.
- Increase in elderly population for some states: For Kerala, which saw the youth population peak earlier than other states, the elderly population share in the total population has been projected at 16.5 per cent compared with 22.1 per cent of the youth population in 2021.
Issues:
| Demographic Dividend:
● According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), demographic dividend means, “the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is larger than the non-working-age share of the population (14 and younger, and 65 and older)” |
Insta Links:
World Population Prospects(WPP) 2022
Practice Questions:
Q. Demographic Dividend in India will remain only theoretical unless our manpower becomes more educated, aware, skilled and creative.” What measures have been taken by the government to enhance the capacity of our population to be more productive and employable? (UPSC 2016)
Q. Consider the following statements:
- The share of the youth population of Bihar is higher than that of Rajasthan.
- Demographic dividend is higher when the population under 14 years is larger than the population above 15 years of age.
Which of the statements given above is/are not correct:
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (b)
Justification:
- Refer to the above diagram for youth population comparison.Demographic Dividend:
- According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), demographic dividend means, “the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is larger than the non-working-age share of the population (14 and younger, and 65 and older)
