The fear that a society with a total fertility rate (TFR)—the average number of children a woman has over her lifetime—below 2.1 could "disappear from the face of the earth" is totally unfounded.
The statement sparked fresh panic, as many who were lamenting a "population explosion" until a week ago now began hand-wringing about a "population collapse".
However, these calls to increase family size are not just misguided, they are fundamentally flawed.
They undermine women's autonomy and overlook the nuanced measures India needs to address its demographic challenges.
India's population dynamics demand thoughtful consideration, not alarm.
In 2023, the country surpassed China as the world's most populous nation.
Its TFR, a crucial demographic indicator, has declined significantly from 3.4 in 1992-93 to 2.0 in 2019-21, dipping below the replacement level of 2.1.
This trend, akin to patterns observed in developed nations, signifies societal progress facilitated by broader access to education, health care, and family planning services.
According to United Nations projections, India's population is expected to peak at 1.7 billion in the 2060s and gradually decline to 1.5 billion by 2100.
This demographic dividend—its large and youthful population—offers an incredible opportunity to reshape the nation's future.
With over 365 million young people aged 10 to 24, India is set to have one of the biggest workforces in the world in the next three decades.
But this potential can be unlocked only if we invest in quality education, child nutrition, accessible health care, skill development, and meaningful jobs.
In the long run, India must also prepare for a steadily ageing population over the next few decades.
By 2050, the proportion of Indians over the age of 60 is projected to double, rising from the current 10% to 20%.
Denne historien er fra December 11, 2024-utgaven av Hindustan Times Mumbai.
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Denne historien er fra December 11, 2024-utgaven av Hindustan Times Mumbai.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Bigotry, bias, acceptance: For EWS kids, school life a mixed bag
NEW DELHI: The moment her Hindi teacher announced a group quiz in class one day, dread enveloped the 15-year-old girl hiding in the back benches at a private school in south Delhi.
'Our dreams are shattered': Deaths in Georgia wreck homes in Punjab
MEA OFFICIALS SAID THEY WERE WORKING TO BRING THE BODIES BACK TO INDIA
Kurla BEST bus mishap: Test reveals driver not mentally ill
MUMBAI: Sanjay More, the driver of the BEST bus that met with an accident on December 9 in which eight people lost their lives, was not mentally ill, according to tests conducted by the police.
China building villages near Doklam in Bhutan: Sat data
NEW DELHI: China has built at least 22 villages and settlements over the past eight years within territory that has traditionally been part of Bhutan, with eight villages coming up in areas in proximity to the strategic Doklam plateau since 2020, according to satellite imagery.
67% sanitation workers from SC communities: Centre to LS
NEW DELHI: Two-thirds of sewer and septic tank workers (SSWs) in urban local bodies across India, surveyed by the Union government, come from Scheduled Caste (SC) communities, the Centre informed Parliament on Tuesday.
ONOP will test govt's ability to muster up two-thirds majority
The NDA government's ambitious plan for simultaneous national and state polls could be a test of its ability to muster the requisite numbers as it doesn't have a two-thirds majority needed to push through a Constitution amendment under Article 368 in the Lok Sabha.
'One election' bill tabled in House, may be sent to JPC
The Union government on Tuesday introduced in the Lok Sabha two bills aimed at ushering in simultaneous state and national elections amid loud protests by the Opposition - taking the first step towards implementing sweeping changes in the way polls are conducted in the world's largest democracy.
MOVE AGAINST FEDERALISM, WILL ALTER BASIC STRUCTURE: OPPN
Opposition leaders on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the bills introduced in the Lok Sabha that propose simultaneous elections to the Lower House and state assemblies, arguing that the legislation undermines federalism, violates the Constitution's basic structure, was introduced without adequate consultation with states and envisions an impractical scenario.
BJP govts to soon bring UCC in every state: Shah
NEW DELHI: The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) implemented by Uttarakhand is a model law that will be debated widely and then the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments will bring a common civil code in all states, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday as he accused the Congress of undermining the Constitution and promoting appeasement politics.
From 2025, NTA not to hold recruitment tests
The National Testing Agency (NTA) will, from 2025, conduct only entrance exams for higher education institutions and not recruitment exams, a move aimed at improving its functioning and in keeping with the recommendations of a high-level committee set up in June 2024.
