Maharashtra Board Class 11 Economics Chapter 6 Population in India Solutions

Choose the Correct Option

 

Question 1. Stages of the theory of demographic transition.
(a) High birth rate and high death rate
(b) High birth rate and low death rate
(c) Low birth rate and low death rate
(d) All of the options
Answer: (d) All of the options
In simple words: The theory of demographic transition shows how a population changes in three stages, starting with high birth and death rates, then high birth and low death rates, and finally low birth and death rates.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that the demographic transition theory has three distinct stages representing different levels of economic development. Be sure to list all three stages in order if asked in a descriptive question.

 

Question 2. Incorrect reasons for the population explosion in India
(a) Illiteracy
(b) Universalization of Marriage
(c) Joint family system
(d) Upliftment in lifestyle

Options:
(a) a and b
(b) c and d
(c) a, b and c
(d) d
Answer: (d) d
In simple words: An improved or uplifted lifestyle is a positive development and does not cause a population explosion, unlike illiteracy or early marriage.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay close attention to the word 'Incorrect' in the question to avoid choosing the actual causes of population growth.

 

Question 3. Remedies undertook to check population explosion
(a) To provide employment
(b) To improve women’s quality of life
(c) National Population Policy
(d) Disaster management

Options:
(a) d
(b) a and c
(c) c and d
(d) a, b and c
Answer: (d) a, b and c
In simple words: Creating jobs, empowering women, and setting up national policies are all active ways to help control population growth.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always identify which options are direct solutions to the problem and eliminate unrelated options like disaster management.

 

Question 4. Choose the correct pair:

Group ‘A’	Group ‘B’
1. Year of Great Divide	(a) Stable population till 2045
2. A. J. Coale and E. M. Hoover	(b) 1921
3. Social Reforms	(c) Demographic Transition
4. National Population Policy, 2000	(d) Spread of education

Options:
(a) 1-d, 2-c, 3-a, 4-b
(b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-d, 4-a
(c) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c, 4-d
(d) 1-c, 2-d, 3-a, 4-b
Answer: (b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-d, 4-a
In simple words: This option correctly pairs historical demographic events and theories, such as the year 1921 being the 'Year of Great Divide' and Coale-Hoover's theory of demographic transition.

🎯 Exam Tip: Memorize key years like 1921 (Year of Great Divide) to easily eliminate incorrect options in match-the-following questions.

2. Give Economic Terms:

 

Question 1. An increase in population is faster than economic growth and development.
Answer: Population explosion. This phenomenon occurs when the growth of the human population outpaces the capacity of the economy to generate resources and support development.
In simple words: When the number of people grows much faster than the country's ability to provide jobs, food, and services, it is called a population explosion.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always write the exact economic term clearly and underline or bold it to make it stand out to the examiner.

 

Question 2. Difference between birth rate and death rate.
Answer: Survival rate. It represents the net increase in population per thousand individuals over a specific period.
In simple words: The survival rate is the difference between how many babies are born and how many people die in a year.

🎯 Exam Tip: Do not confuse survival rate with natural growth rate; use the precise term requested in your textbook.

 

Question 3. The balance between natural resources and population growth.
Answer: Optimum population. This refers to the ideal size of a population that can be fully supported by the available natural resources of a region.
In simple words: Optimum population is the perfect number of people that a country's resources can easily support without causing shortages.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that 'optimum' means the best or most favorable level for economic balance.

Question 4. Programme introduced to reduce the birth rate in 1952.
Answer: Family Planning Programme. This was a key initiative by the government to promote family welfare and stabilize population growth.
In simple words: This programme was started to help families plan their size and control the country's population growth.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember the year 1952 as India was the first country in the world to launch a national family planning program.

 

Identify and Explain the Concepts from the Given Illustrations:

 

Question 1. There were 40 births per 1000 in-country ‘A’ during a year.
Answer: Birth Rate. Birth rate means the number of births occurring per thousand of the living population during a year. It is also called the fertility rate. This measure helps in understanding the natural growth of a population.
In simple words: Birth rate is simply the number of babies born for every 1,000 people in a country over one year.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always define the concept first and then write its alternative names like 'fertility rate' to score full marks.

 

Question 2. In Mumbai city, public transport service is largely affected due to the growing population.
Answer: High Density of Population. The number of people living per square kilometer is known as the density of population. In India, it is 382 people per square kilometer as per the 2011 Census which is very high. This high concentration of people puts immense pressure on public infrastructure and transport systems.
In simple words: When too many people live in a small area, it is called high population density. This makes public places like buses and trains very crowded.

🎯 Exam Tip: Mentioning real-world data like the 2011 Census figure (382 people per sq. km) makes your answer highly impressive to examiners.

 

Question 3. In-country ‘B’ there are 15 deaths taking place per 1000 during a year.
Answer: Death Rate. Death rate means the number of deaths occurring per thousand of the living population during a year. It is also called the mortality rate. Tracking this rate is essential for evaluating the overall healthcare standards of a nation.
In simple words: Death rate is the number of people who die for every 1,000 people in a country over one year.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember to mention that the death rate is also known as the mortality rate to show complete understanding.

 

Question 4. For a certain period of time, China had adopted the policy of ‘One child per family.
Answer: Population policy. This refers to the measures taken by a government to influence the size, growth, or distribution of its population. China's strict policy was aimed at rapidly curbing population growth to match its economic resources.
In simple words: A population policy is a set of rules made by a government to control how fast the population grows, like China's rule of having only one child per family.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly state that a population policy can be either encouraging or restrictive depending on the country's needs.

Answer the Following:

 

Question 1. Explain the causes of the high birth rate.
Answer: The causes of the high birth rate are as follows:
(i) Illiteracy: A large proportion of the population in India is illiterate which means they are bound to be traditional, superstitious, ignorant, and irrational. So they have more children. This lack of education directly impacts awareness of family planning methods.
(ii) Universalization of Marriage: In India, Marriage is considered a religious and social obligation. In spite of the spread of education, the attitude of people towards marriage remains unchanged.
(iii) Age of Marriage: In India the average age for marriage is low. Hence, the childbearing period is long which is responsible for the high birth rate.
(iv) Preference for the male child: Many parents don’t accept family planning till they have a son or desired number of sons. This is known as son meta-preference.
In simple words: The high birth rate in India is mainly due to low literacy levels, the social pressure to marry early, and a strong traditional preference for having sons.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly list and explain all four major social factors—illiteracy, universal marriage, low marriage age, and male child preference—to secure full marks.

 

Question 2. Explain the causes of a low death rate.
Answer: The causes of the low death rate are as follows:
(i) Improvement in medical and health facilities: Due to advanced medical and health facilities epidemics like the plague, cholera, malaria, smallpox, measles, TB, etc. have been controlled or eradicated. The invention of sulpha drugs, penicillin, antibiotics has helped to reduce the death rate among people. The number of hospitals, doctors, and nurses also have increased. This has reduced the death rate. Modern healthcare access has significantly increased the average life expectancy of the population.
In simple words: The death rate has fallen because of major improvements in medicine, better control over deadly diseases, and more hospitals and doctors being available to treat people.

🎯 Exam Tip: Mention specific examples of eradicated epidemics and medical advancements like antibiotics to make your answer highly impactful.

 

Question 3. Explain the role of human resources in economic development.
Answer: Role of human resource in economic development:
• Economic growth is only a means and human development is the end i.e. the objective of economic growth and development is to improve human conditions and enlarge people’s choices. This approach places people at the center of all developmental activities.
• Human development increases political stability by reducing civil disturbances in society.
• Human development leads to an increase in human productivity i.e., investment in nutrition, health, and education results in higher productivity.
• Human development helps to control population growth, through increasing literacy specially in women.
• Human resource development contributes to improvement in life expectancy and literacy rate. This further improves the quality of life.
• Human resource development helps to bring about research and development. It motivates research in various educational institutions.
In simple words: Human resources mean the people of a country. When we invest in their education, health, and skills, they become more productive, which helps the entire nation grow and prosper.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly list at least 4 to 5 distinct points showing how educated and healthy people contribute to a nation's growth to secure full marks.

5. State with Reasons Whether You Agree or Disagree with the Following Statements:

 

Question 1. India is experiencing Population Explosion.
Answer: Yes, I do agree with the statement. India's population has been growing at an extremely rapid pace, leading to immense pressure on resources.
In simple words: Population explosion means the population is growing very fast. India is facing this because the birth rate is high while the death rate has fallen quickly.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always start your answer by clearly stating 'Yes, I agree' or 'No, I disagree' before writing down the detailed reasons.

 

Question 2. The death rate is falling rapidly in India.
Answer: Yes, I do agree with the statement. The rapid decline in the death rate is a positive indicator of development.
• There has been improvement in medical and health facilities, the decline in maternal mortality rate, fall in infant mortality rate, increase in literacy rate, etc.
• Through public health measures, a better quality of food is available.
• The government has taken several steps to control natural calamities.
• This helps to mitigate all types of disasters thereby reducing the loss of lives.
• Hence, the death rate in India is falling rapidly.
In simple words: The death rate in India is going down because of better hospitals, cleaner food, and better ways to handle natural disasters. This means more people are living longer, healthier lives.

🎯 Exam Tip: Mention key factors like improved medical facilities, control over natural disasters, and better food quality to score full marks.

 

Question 3. Optimum population contributes to the economic development of a country.
Answer: Yes, I do agree with the statement. Achieving this balance is crucial for sustainable national progress.
• Optimum population means there is a balance between population growth and the availability of natural resources.
• If the population grows faster then there will be a shortage of food supply, low employment opportunities, etc., and pressure will be there on the economic growth of the country.
• It will create social and economic imbalances in the economy.
• Whereas optimum population will lead to balance in social and economic growth resulting in faster growth of the country.
In simple words: An optimum population means having just the right number of people for the resources available. This balance helps the country grow smoothly without running out of food or jobs.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define 'optimum population' clearly as the balance between resources and population size to establish a strong foundation for your answer.

 

Question 4. Human resources play an important role in economic development.
Answer: Yes, I do agree with the statement. Developing human potential is essential for a nation's progress.

• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has introduced the concept of ‘Human Development’ in 1990.
• Human resource development occurs through the provision of educational facilities, increase in literacy rate, especially among women tends to reduce birth rate and infant mortality rate. This contributes to population control.
• HRD contributes to improvement in life expectancy and literacy rate. This further improves the quality of life.
• Human development leads to an increase in human productivity, i.e. investment in nutrition, health, and education which results in higher productivity.
• Hence, human resources play an important role in economic development.

In simple words: When we invest in people's education, health, and skills, they become more productive. This helps the entire country grow and prosper.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly state your agreement first, then list the key contributions of human resource development like education, health, and productivity to score full marks.

 

Question 5. The birth rate is declining due to changes in the standard of living.
Answer: Yes, I do agree with the statement. As people achieve a better quality of life, family sizes tend to become smaller.

• According to the 2011 Census, the birth rate in India is 20.9 which is low as compared to the 2001 Census.
• There are certain factors responsible for the declining birth rate:
  • Awareness about health facilities.
  • Joint Family System is now shaped into a nuclear family system.
  • The cost of education is increased per child.
  • Under the family planning programme, contraceptive pills are available.
• Due to all these reasons, the birth rate is declining in India.

In simple words: Better living standards, higher education costs, and awareness of healthcare lead people to have smaller families, which reduces the overall birth rate.

🎯 Exam Tip: Mentioning specific census data like the 2011 census figures adds strong credibility to your answer and helps you secure maximum marks.

 

6. Solve the Following:

Question 1. Find out Q3 from the given data.

Year	Population (in Crores)
1951	36.1
1961	43.9
1971	54.8
1981	68.3
1991	84.6
2001	102.7
2011	121.02

Answer: Arranging the data in ascending order: 36.1, 43.9, 54.8, 68.3, 84.6, 102.7, 121.02.
Here, \( n = 7 \)
\( Q_3 = \text{Size of } \left[ \frac{3(n+1)}{4} \right]^{\text{th}} \text{ observation} \)
\( \implies Q_3 = \text{Size of } \left[ \frac{3(7+1)}{4} \right]^{\text{th}} \text{ observation} \)
\( \implies Q_3 = \text{Size of } 6^{\text{th}} \text{ observation} \)
\( \implies Q_3 = 102.7 \)
This calculated value represents the upper quartile boundary for the given population dataset.
In simple words: To find the third quartile (Q3), we arrange the numbers from smallest to largest and find the value at the 75% mark, which is the 6th number in our list.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always remember to arrange the data in ascending order before calculating any quartile, as skipping this step is a very common mistake.

 

Question 2. Draw a population growth curve from the given data.

Year	Population (in Crores)
1951	36.1
1961	43.9
1971	54.8
1981	68.3
1991	84.6
2001	102.7
2011	121.02

Answer: To draw the population growth curve, follow these steps:
1. Draw the X-axis and Y-axis on a graph paper.
2. Represent 'Year' on the X-axis (Scale: 1 cm = 10 years) and 'Population (in Crores)' on the Y-axis (Scale: 1 cm = 20 Crores).
3. Plot the points corresponding to each year and its population: (1951, 36.1), (1961, 43.9), (1971, 54.8), (1981, 68.3), (1991, 84.6), (2001, 102.7), and (2011, 121.02).
4. Join all the plotted points with a smooth, free-flowing line to show the continuous upward trend of population growth over the decades. This graphical representation clearly highlights the rapid pace of demographic expansion.
In simple words: A population growth curve is a line graph where you put years on the bottom and population numbers on the side, then connect the dots to see how fast the population is rising.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly mention the scale chosen for both the X-axis and Y-axis on the top right corner of your graph to secure full marks.

Try This: (Textbook Page No. 38)

 

Question. Based on the given table 6.2, explain how demographic transition theory is applicable to India.

Table 6.2: Birth rate and Death rate in India
Year	Birth rate	Death rate
1901	49.2	42.6
1911	48.1	47.2
1921	46.3	36.3
1931	45.2	31.2
1941	39.9	27.4
1951	41.7	22.8
1961	41.2	19.0
1971	37.2	15.0
1981	32.5	15.0
1991	29.5	9.8
2001	28.3	9.0
2011	20.97	7.48

Answer: Both birth rate and death rate falling from 1901 to till 2011 due to that India is facing high growth of population explosion. Hence we can say India is experiencing the second stage of demographic transition. This stage is characterized by a rapid decline in mortality while fertility remains relatively high, leading to a significant gap between births and deaths.
In simple words: India is in the second stage of population growth because while both birth and death rates are going down, the death rate fell much faster. This gap has caused a huge increase in the total population.

🎯 Exam Tip: When explaining demographic transition, always mention the specific stage (Stage 2 for India) and highlight the gap between falling birth rates and rapidly falling death rates.

Can You Tell: (Textbook Page No. 38)

 

Question. Observe Fig. 6.3 and draw inferences from it.
Answer: Inferences drawn from the figure are as follows:

• In 1961 Birth rate and the Death rate was high as compared to the year 2011. Hence, there was less population in the year 1961.
• As the year passes by, the death rate is declining and the birth rate is inclining due to proper medication facilities, improvement in education facilities, etc.
• This all led to a population explosion in India. The year 2011 is a case of overpopulation. This dramatic shift highlights the urgent need for sustainable resource management.

In simple words: In 1961, the population was smaller because both birth and death rates were high. Over time, better healthcare and education reduced death rates, leading to a massive population boom by 2011.

🎯 Exam Tip: When analyzing population figures, clearly contrast the differences between the two time periods (1961 and 2011) and mention the key reasons like healthcare improvements for full marks.

 

Find Out: (Textbook Page No. 39)

 

Question. What is the legal age of marriage for males and females in different countries?
Answer: The legal age of marriage varies significantly across the globe based on national laws and cultural contexts. These legal age limits are established by respective governments to ensure the maturity and well-being of individuals entering into marriage. The table below lists the legal age of marriage for males and females in various countries:

Countries	Male	Female
1. India	21	18
2. U.S.A	18	16-17
3. Afghanistan	18	16
4. Argentina	18	18
5. Australia	18	18
6. Bangladesh	21	18
7. Bhutan	18	18
8. China	22	20
9. Cuba	18	16
10. Egypt	21	21
11. Germany	18	18
12. Indonesia	19	16
13. Japan	20	20
14. Kuwait	17	15
15. Singapore	21	21
16. Thailand	17	17

Note: Students may further refer to the internet for more information on the legal age of marriage.
In simple words: Different countries set different minimum age limits for marriage to protect young people. This table lists those legal ages for males and females across sixteen nations.

🎯 Exam Tip: When writing about legal marriage ages, highlight India's specific limits (21 for males, 18 for females) as they are frequently asked in social science exams.

 

Question 1. What do you mean by Population Education?
Answer: According to UNESCO – “Population Education is an educational programme which provides for a study of population situation of the family, the community, nation, and world with the purpose of developing in the students rational and responsible attitude and behaviour towards the situation”. This learning helps young minds understand how population growth affects resources and environment.
In simple words: Population education helps students understand how the size of our population affects our families, communities, and the whole world. It teaches us to make smart and responsible choices for the future.

🎯 Exam Tip: Memorize the key terms in UNESCO's definition, such as "rational and responsible attitude", to secure full marks.

 

Question 2. When does demographic dividend occur?
Answer: Demographic dividend occurs when the proportion of working people to the total population is high. This shift in age structure can significantly boost economic growth as more people contribute to production.
In simple words: A demographic dividend happens when a country has more working-age people than dependents (like children and elderly). This gives the economy a big boost because there are more hands to work and earn.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly define the relationship between the working-age population and the dependent population to write a complete answer.