Which of the following States recorded the lowest decadal growth rate of population, according to the 2011 census?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — B, Nagaland. In the 2011 Census, Nagaland was the only State in India to record a negative decadal (2001-2011) growth rate — its population actually fell by about 0.6%. That is why it has the lowest decadal growth of the four States listed. The unusual dip is generally attributed to an over-count in the 2001 Census being corrected in 2011, but the recorded figure — the lowest (indeed negative) among States — is what the question tests.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Arunachal Pradesh grew strongly in 2001-2011 (around 26%), well above the national average — one of the higher growth rates, not the lowest.  (c) Madhya Pradesh grew by roughly 20% in the decade — above the national average of about 17.7%, so clearly not the lowest.  (d) Punjab's decadal growth (about 14%) was below the national average, but it was still positive — higher than Nagaland's negative figure.

Concept: Decadal growth rate is the percentage change in a population between two successive censuses (a 10-year gap). India's 2001-2011 decadal growth was about 17.7%. Growth varied widely by State — from high rates in some north-eastern and northern States to very low rates in the south. Nagaland stood out as the only State with a negative decadal growth in 2011, a striking anomaly usually explained by correction of an inflated 2001 count.

State PCS 2020 Q61 — Geography PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2020 Q61 — Geography PYQ with Answer