CBSE Class 8 Social Science Chapter 06 Dynamics Of Population MCQs Set 01

Answer: (B) The composition and changes in human population in terms of age, gender, occupation, and other characteristics

Explanation:
Demography is explicitly defined in the chapter as the study of the composition of human population in terms of different factors like age, sex, occupation, and religion, and how they change over time due to births, deaths, and migration.

Answer: (B) India

Explanation:
The chapter clearly states that in 2023, India surpassed China to become the world's most populous country, with Indians constituting around 17 per cent of the world population.

Answer: (C) 2.1 children per woman

Explanation:
A fertility rate of 2.1 is referred to as the replacement level fertility rate because it represents the number of children needed to replace the parents in the population and is crucial to maintain a stable population.

Answer: (B) It decreased from 271 to 28 per 1,000

Explanation:
The chapter states that India has made great progress by lowering child mortality from 271 per 1,000 in 1950 to 28 in 2023, reflecting improvements in healthcare and nutrition.

Answer: (B) A large young population aged 16-30 years

Explanation:
• The youth bulge is the phenomenon of a large young population aged 16–30 years
• It is common in countries at Stage 2 of demographic transition
• Around 27 per cent of the Indian population is under 15 years and nearly 65 per cent is in the working-age group (15–59 years)

Answer: (C) Japan

Explanation:
The chapter explicitly states that countries like China, Japan, and Italy are already seeing shrinking populations, while India's population is growing for now and African nations like Nigeria and Ethiopia continue to grow rapidly.

Answer: (B) The average number of years a newborn is expected to live with current health and living conditions

Explanation:
Life expectancy is defined as the average number of years a newborn is expected to live if they grow up with the same health, safety, and living conditions that people in their country have today.

Answer: (B) Very slow or stagnant population growth

Explanation:
Stage 1 features both high birth and death rates, so population growth is very slow or stagnant—as was true for India from 1901–1921 due to poor healthcare and low literacy.

Answer: (B) Sex ratio

Explanation:
Sex ratio represents the number of females per 1,000 males in the population and is used as a key demographic indicator to measure gender balance and reflect the country's socio-economic and cultural dynamics.

Answer: (C) 1.0 child per woman

Explanation:
The chapter states that China's fertility rate dropped from 7.5 in 1963 to 1 in 2025, a result of the One-Child Policy introduced in 1979 that allowed most families to have only one child.

Answer: (D) Increased migration to rural areas

Explanation:
The chapter identifies improved access to quality education (especially for girls), women pursuing formal jobs and marrying later, and rapid urbanisation with high cost of living as factors contributing to lower fertility. Increased migration to rural areas is not mentioned as a reason for declining fertility rates.

Answer: (B) Economic growth potential from a younger and productive age structure

Explanation:
Demographic dividend is the economic growth potential of a nation resulting from a younger and productive age structure of a country. It occurs when working-age population earns money, pays taxes, and the government uses that revenue to build infrastructure and services.

Answer: (B) The base will become narrower with more elderly people at the top

Explanation:
The base has become narrower, meaning families are having fewer children than before, while the top part is getting wider as people live longer. India has moved from a young, fast-growing population shown by a narrow triangle in 1950 to a more bell-shaped, balanced population structure.

Answer: (C) Fewer young people working to support a larger elderly population needing care

Explanation:
An ageing population means more elderly people who need care and fewer young people working to support them. This puts pressure on healthcare systems and reduces the number of workers to replace retiring workers, which can slow down the economy and strain government finances for pensions and services.

Answer: (B) Kerala and Tamil Nadu

Explanation:
The chapter explicitly states that states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu are experiencing significant population ageing as compared to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where the population is relatively younger.

Answer: (B) Healthcare facilities and elderly care services

Explanation:
The text explicitly states that if the proportion of elderly in a population is higher, more facilities for healthcare are required. This is used as an example of how demographic information helps governments plan resource allocation.

Answer: (B) From 5.7 to 1.9

Explanation:
The chapter states that India's fertility rate has substantially declined from 5.7 in 1950 to 1.9 in 2025, showing a significant reduction in the average number of children per woman over this seventy-five-year period.

Answer: (B) States with lower literacy tend to have higher fertility rates

Explanation:
The data in Fig. 6.11 shows that Bihar, with the lowest female literacy rate of 55%, has the highest fertility rate at 3.0, while Delhi, with the highest literacy at 83.7%, has the lowest fertility at 1.6. This inverse relationship illustrates how education empowers women to make reproductive choices.

Answer: (B) Stage 2, after 1951

Explanation:
The chapter clearly indicates that in Stage 2 of demographic transition, death rates fall due to better healthcare while birth rates remain high, causing rapid population growth. This is exactly what happened in India after 1951 when healthcare improved but families continued having many children.

Answer: (B) A growing working-age population that can contribute to economic growth

Explanation:
The text explains that the middle part becoming wider shows a large number of people between 15 and 60 years—the working-age group. This is called India's demographic dividend because these young workers can help the economy grow through their productive capacity and tax contributions.

Answer: (B) It created a generation of children without siblings and weakened traditional kinship networks

Explanation:
• A whole generation of children grew up as only children
• This broke traditional kinship networks based on sibling relationships
• Even after the policy ended in 2015, fertility remained below replacement level, showing lasting social impact
• The chapter notes the policy had 'far-reaching impact on households and society'

Answer: (B) Medical advances like antibiotics and vaccines combined with better sanitation and economic development

Explanation:
The 'Don't Miss Out' section details that medical advancements (antibiotics, vaccines, oral rehydration), improved water and sanitation, reduced child deaths from diseases, and increasing economic prosperity all combined to enable rapid population growth during this period.

Answer: (B) It would result if replacement-level fertility falls below 2 and more elderly survive longer due to healthcare

Explanation:
An inverted or top-heavy pyramid forms when fertility rates drop significantly below replacement level while life expectancy increases. The chapter illustrates this progression through figures showing how Japan and Italy developed such shapes, with more older people than young people because fewer children are being born while more people live longer.

Answer: (B) Supporting both economic growth while addressing the 'double burden' on women who work and manage households

Explanation:
The text states that as societies develop and more women pursue formal jobs, they often face the 'double burden'—managing both job responsibilities and household duties. Lack of childcare facilities, loss of joint family support systems, and inflexible work hours make it difficult for women to participate fully in the workforce, preventing countries from fully capitalizing on their demographic advantage.

Answer: (B) Population would begin to decline as the working-age group shrinks and fertility remains below replacement level

Explanation:
The chapter explains that the window of demographic dividend is limited, with the young population expected to decrease beyond 2050. The number of children under five peaked in 2007 and has been falling; the number under 15 peaked in 2011 and is declining. After 2050, India's population would begin to transition towards an older population, similar to what Japan is experiencing now.