Biology · Reproductive Health · NEET
Because the population growth rate is so high that it can cause absolute scarcity of even basic requirements, food, shelter and clothing, even after we make good progress in producing them. If people rise faster than resources, everyone gets less. So the government was forced to take serious steps to slow the growth rate. For NEET, remember the exact NCERT reason: 'absolute scarcity of even the basic requirements.'
This confuses many students. A rapid decline in death rate, maternal mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR) means more people survive and live longer. Add an increase in the number of people in reproducible age (people old enough to have children), and births stay high while deaths fall. So population rises. Fewer deaths plus more births in the fertile age group both push the number up.
The 2011 census reported a growth rate of less than 2 per cent, which is written as 20/1000/year. It means for every 1000 people, about 20 extra people are added each year. NCERT calls this an 'alarming' rate because even a number below 2 per cent still makes a huge country grow rapidly. NEET has asked such number-based facts, so remember 2011, less than 2 per cent, 20/1000/year.
The Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) programme did bring down the population growth rate, but only marginally (only a little). That is exactly why extra measures were still needed. Do not write that RCH fully solved it; NCERT clearly says the fall was only marginal.
Three NCERT measures: (1) Motivate smaller families using contraceptive methods, shown by the slogan 'Hum Do Hamare Do' (we two, our two); many young urban working couples even adopted a 'one child norm'. (2) Statutory raising of the marriageable age, female to 18 years and male to 21 years. (3) Incentives given to couples with small families. The most important single step is motivating smaller families through contraception.
World population was about 2 billion in 1900, rose to about 6 billion by 2000 and 7.2 billion in 2011. India was about 350 million at independence, reached close to 1 billion by 2000 and crossed 1.2 billion in May 2011. These exact figures are directly from NCERT and are easy one-mark facts.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
To prevent an absolute scarcity of basic requirements, food, shelter and clothing, caused by a rapid population growth rate.
'Hum Do Hamare Do' (we two, our two). Many young urban working couples even adopted a 'one child norm'.
18 years for females and 21 years for males. This statutory raising of marriage age is one measure to control population growth.
Because of a rapid decline in death rate, MMR and IMR, plus an increase in the number of people in the reproducible age group.
It crossed 1.2 billion in May 2011, with a growth rate of less than 2 per cent (20/1000/year) per the 2011 census.
No. The RCH programme reduced the growth rate only marginally, so additional measures like the small-family slogan, marriage-age law and incentives were still needed.
