Demographic Constitution of India During British Rule

What is Demography?

It is the study of Human Population

In this, we study statistics like birth rate, death rate, Literacy level, Life expectancy etc

What are Different Stages of Demographic Transition?

There are 4 stages of Demogaphic Transition:

Stage No Stage Name Description

Stage 1 Preindustrial Stage Death Rates and Birth Rate both Very High, Population Growth was Slow

Stage 2 Industrializing Stage Death Rates decline due to Improvement in Food Supply,Sanitation. Birth Rate remains High, so Population Grows Fast

Stage 3 Mature Industrial Stage Birth Rate also falls and Population becomes to level off

Stage 4 Post Industrial Stage Low Birth and Death Rates, Population may start to decline

India was in Which Stage during British Rule?

Census was started from 1881 onwards to keep record of Demography of India

There on, it was conducted every 10 years

Before 1921

India was in First Stage of Demographic Transition

Death Rates and Birth Rate both Very High, Population Growth was Slow

Total Population as well as rate of growth of Population was not very high

After 1921

India entered Second Stage of Demogaphic Transition

Death Rates declined due to Improvement in Food Supply,Sanitation.

Birth Rate remained High,so Population Grew Fast

Year 1921 was called the 'Year of Great Divide'

Because, before this year India was in the 1st stage of demographic transition

And after this year, India entered the 2nd stage of demographic transition

What were the various social economic indicators during British Rule?

Literacy level

It means percentage of population which can read or write

Literacy level was very low during British Rule (Around 16% )

Female Literacy level was even lower at 7%

Mortality Rate(Death Rate)

It means number of deaths in a given population during a period of time

Death rate was very high at nearly 40 per 1000.

Infant Mortality Rate was very high especially infant mortality rate (around 218 per 1000)

It refers to the number of children that die before reaching the age of 1 year per 1000 births in an year.

This was because public health facilities were not available to population and there were lot of water, airborne disease

Life expectancy

It means number of year a person was expected to live

Life expectancy was very low around 44 years (Currently it is 69 years)

Poverty

It mean state of not having income to meet basic needs

There was extensive poverty in India during British Rule

However, no reliable data was measured aboout extent of poverty

NCERT Questions

Question 10

Which is regarded as the defining year to mark the demographic transition from its first to the second decisive stage?

Question 11

Give a quantitative appraisal of India’s demographic profile during the colonial period.

Question 14

When was India’s first official census operation undertaken?

MCQ Other Books

Question 1

In the following questions, select the correct answers:

The 1st official census was conducted in the year _____.

1. 1891
2. 1921
3. 1781
4. 1881

Question 2

Which year is described as a "Year of Great Divide"?

1. 1850
2. 1881
3. 1921
4. 1911

Question 3

Identify the statement which is not correct in context of demographic condition of India during British rule:

1. High Birth Rate
2. Low Death Rate
3. Low Infant Mortality Rate
4. High Literacy Rate

Question 4

From 1881 onwards, census operations in India were carried out every _____ years.

1. 5
2. 10
3. 15
4. 20

Question 5

India entered the _________________ stage of Demographic Transition after the year 1921.

1. forth
2. second
3. third
4. first [CBSE SQP 2021]