ADOLESCENTS AND YOUTH IN INDIA HIGHLIGHTS FROM CENSUS

ADOLESCENTS AND YOUTH IN INDIA HIGHLIGHTS FROM CENSUS 2011 Dr C CHANDRAMOULI REGISTRAR GENERAL & CENSUS COMMISSIONER, INDIA

Today, every fifth person in India is an adolescent (10 -19 years) and every third – a young person (10 -24 years) Investing in this segment of population is the best way to leverage the nation’s competitive advantage – its demographic dividend.

Population of Adolescents (10 -19 Years) Country Population (in million) Adolescent Proportion of (10 -19 yrs) Adolescents Population (%) (in million) China 1358. 8 191. 2 14. 1 India 1205. 6 236. 5 19. 6 USA 312. 2 43. 0 13. 8 Indonesia 240. 6 43. 4 16. 8 Brazil 195. 2 33. 8 17. 3 Pakistan 173. 1 30. 9 23. 1 World Population Prospects – The 2012 Revision, UN 2013

Population of Youth (15 -24 Years) Country Population (in million) Youth (15 -24 yrs) Population Proportion of Youths (in million) (%) China 1358. 8 242. 2 17. 8 India 1205. 6 229. 0 19. 0 USA 312. 2 43. 9 14. 1 Indonesia 240. 6 40. 5 16. 8 Brazil 195. 2 33. 6 17. 2 Pakistan 173. 1 37. 2 21. 5 World Population Prospects – The 2012 Revision, UN 2013

Definition of Adolescents, Youth • Adolescents …… 10 -19 years • Youth …………… 15 - 24 years • Together, adolescents and youth are referred to as ‘Young people’, encompassing the ages 10 -24 years.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM CENSUS OF INDIA 2011

Population Pyramid (By 10 Years Grouping) India : 2001 & 2011 Censuses Age-Sex Distribution, India, 2011 Age-Sex Distribution, India, 2001 80+ 70 -79 60 -69 50 -59 40 -49 30 -39 20 -29 10 -19 0 -9 40. 0 20. 0 Females 0. 0 20. 0 Males 40. 0 0 -9 40. 0 20. 0 Females The broad base is gradually shrinking and the bulge is moving upwards indicating an increase in the median age 20. 0 Males 40. 0

Adolescents (10 -19) : India • Population (2011) 253 mn (225 mn) • Decadal growth (2001 -11) + 12. 5% • Sex Ratio (2011) 898 (882)

Youth (15 -24) : India • Population (2011) 231 mn (189 mn) • Decadal growth (2001 -11) + 22. 1% • Sex Ratio (2011) 908 (882)

Trends in Proportion of Population – India 1961 to 2011 Census • Since 1971 the proportion of adolescent population has remained around 21 per cent • Proportion of youth population increased steadily from 16. 5 per cent in 1971 to 19. 2 per cent in 2011

Trends in Sex Ratio (1961 to 2011 Census) – India • Adolescent Sex Ratio has been very low, showing increase and decline in alternate censuses. Highest in 2011 at 898 • Youth Sex Ratio has shown consistent decline till 2001, then rising in 2011.

Sex Ratio Among Adolescents (10 -19) Census 2011

Sex Ratio Among Youth (15 -24) Census 2011

Trends in Literacy Rate by Sex and Gender Gap – India ADOLESCENTS (1019) Adolescent and Youth Literacy Rates show consistent increase. YOUTH (15 -24) Appreciable increase in Female Literacy Rate - narrowing gender gap

Trends in Work Participation Rate – India ADOLESCENTS (1019) Decline in WPR by sex in Total and Rural areas from 2001 to 2011. No change in Urban areas. YOUTH (15 -24) Similar situation exists in case of Youth as well. .

In Conclusion • Population of Adolescents (253. 2 million) and Youth (231. 9 million) are quite large in the country • There is considerable progress in achieving literacy among both the groups • What remains as crucial element is the development of skills among Youth population to take up decent vocation.

For more information visit: censusindia. gov. in Or write to: rgi@censusindia. gov. in Thank you