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Glossary Terms
| Term (EN) | Definition | Exam Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Decadal Growth Rate | Percentage increase in population in a 10-year period | PYQ 2023 — 5 marks |
| Year of Great Divide | 1921 — year when India's population growth turned consistently positive | Population history |
| Sex Ratio | Number of females per 1,000 males; India (2011): 943 | 2/5-mark |
| Child Sex Ratio | Females per 1,000 males in age group 0–6; India (2011): 919 — declining | Policy concern |
| Literacy Rate | % of population aged 7+ who can read and write; India (2011): 74.04% | 2/5-mark |
| Population Density | Number of persons per unit area (sq km); India: 382 (2011) | 2-mark |
| Demographic Transition | Sequential shift from high BR/DR to low BR/DR as a country develops | 5/10-mark |
| Demographic Dividend | Economic growth potential from large working-age population relative to dependents | 5/10-mark |
| Total Fertility Rate (TFR) | Avg number of children a woman would bear in her lifetime; India TFR (NFHS-5): 2.0 | Population policy |
| Replacement Level | TFR of 2.1 — where population exactly replaces itself generationally | Demographic target |
| Demographic Momentum | Population continues growing even after TFR falls due to large young cohort | Growth phase explanation |
| PCPNDT Act | Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (1994); prohibits sex determination | Sex ratio policy |
| Beti Bachao Beti Padhao | 2015 scheme for improving child sex ratio in poor-performing districts | Sex ratio policy |
| Census | Systematic counting of population at 10-year intervals; India's Census 2011 is latest completed | Core topic |
| NFHS | National Family Health Survey; provides updated demographic/health indicators between censuses | Current data |
| IMR | Infant Mortality Rate — deaths per 1,000 live births before age 1; India (2020): 35 | Health demographics |
| MMR | Maternal Mortality Rate — deaths per 1,00,000 live births; India (2018–20): 97 | Health demographics |
| Urbanisation | Increase in proportion of population living in urban areas; India 2011: 31.16% | 5-mark |
| Dependency Ratio | Ratio of dependents (<15 + >65) to working-age population (15–64) | Demographic analysis |
| ASHA | Accredited Social Health Activist — community health worker under NHM; 10+ lakh nationwide | Health policy |
| NPP 2000 | National Population Policy 2000 — voluntary family welfare approach; TFR target 2.1 | Population policy |
| Slum | Dense informal urban settlement with poor infrastructure; e.g., Dharavi (Mumbai) | Urbanisation issues |
| NIPUN Bharat | National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (2021) — foundational literacy for class 1–3 | Education policy |
| Million-Plus City | Urban area with population over 1 million; India had 53 in 2011 | Urbanisation data |
| Median Age | Age at which half the population is younger and half older; India (2011): 28.4 years | Demographic dividend |
Sources: Office of the Registrar General of India — Census 2011; NFHS-5 (2019–21); United Nations Population Division; Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; RPSC Mains PYQ 2013–2023.