Which state recorded the highest decadal growth rate of population in India during 2001 - 2011 ?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — C, Meghalaya. In Census 2011, Meghalaya recorded the highest decadal population growth among the states — 27.95% for 2001-2011, against an all-India figure of 17.7%. Bihar was second at 25.42%. (Among Union Territories, Dadra & Nagar Haveli grew fastest at about 55.9%, but the question asks only about states.)

Why the other options are wrong — (a) India's most populous state and the one that added the largest number of people, but its decadal growth rate was 20.23% — high in absolute terms, not in rate.  (b) Grew at 21.31% — above the national average of 17.7%, but well below Bihar and Meghalaya.  (d) The most tempting choice at 25.42% — the highest among the large states, but still below Meghalaya's 27.95%.

Concept: Decadal growth rate is a percentage change over ten years, so a small state can top the table even though its absolute increase is modest. In Census 2011 the all-India decadal growth was 17.7%, down from 21.5% in 1991-2001. The high-rate end of the table was occupied by parts of the North-East and the Hindi belt; the low end by Kerala (4.91%) and Nagaland (-0.58%), the only state to record a fall in population.

State PCS 2025 Q17 — Geography PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2025 Q17 — Geography PYQ with Answer