IMPORTANT QUESTIONS :
Sociology - Class 12
Book 1 INDIAN SOCIETY
Chapter : 2 Demographic features of Indian Society
1. What is “Demography”?
The term demography is of Greek origin and composed of the two words
demos means people and graphein means describe or description of the
people. Demography is the systematic study of population. It studies
birth, death, migration, sex ratio etc.
2. Differentiate between formal demography and social demography.
There are different varieties of demography but commonly we divide it into two
types - formal and social.
Formal demography related largely with the quantitative field and focuses on
numeric data.
Social demography related to the qualitative field and focuses on the social,
economic and political aspect of population
3. Write the factors responsible for beginning of demographic study
Following processes made study of demography essential –
The formation of nation states as the principal form of political organisation.
The beginnings of the modern science of statistics.
,4 Write the importance of demographic study of population.
Demographic studies cover almost all the spheres of population like birth rate,
death rate, life expectancy, literacy rate, maternal and infant mortality rate
,TFR etc.
It gives us data related to the growth and quality of the population of a
country.
These data are very important to understand the problems and requirement of
the people and make plans and policies related to it
These policies are very important for economic development and general public
welfare.
5 When did census begin for collecting demographic data?
The modern state had begun to expand its role and functions.
It had for instance, begun to take an active interest in the development of
every sphere of society such as-
policing and maintenance of law and order, health economy, agriculture,
industry, taxation, revenue generation etc.
This new and constantly expanding sphere of state actively required the
systematic and regular collection of quantitative data.
The American census of 1790 was probably the first modern census.
In India censuses began between 1867-72 and regular ten yearly since 1881.
6 Give reasons why there are more females than males in most countries.
Historically there are slightly more female than male all over the world 1050 females
as per 1000 males
This is despite the fact that slightly more male babies are born than female ones.
This seems to be due to two reasons-
First the girl babies have more resistance to disease in infancy than boy babies.
,Second, the life cycle. Women have tended to live more than the men so that there
are more old women than men in most sosocieties .
7 Why is the rising dependency ratio a cause for worry in countries that are facing an aging
population?
Dependency ratio refers to the proportion of dependents (elderly people and
children) with working age group (i.e. 15 – 60 years
High working population is also referred as ‘demographic dividend’
A rising dependency ratio is a cause for worry in countries that are facing an aging
population, since it becomes difficult for a relatively smaller proportion of working -
age people to carry the burden of providing for a relatively larger proportion of
dedependents.
8 Why is falling dependency ratio a source of economic growth & prosperity?
Falling dependency ratio can be a source of economic growth and prosperity due
to a high working population as compared to a low non-working population.
But either situation would not be stable as in future the falling dependency ratio will
turn into less working population while the situation related to high dependency ratio
will have a high working population.
9. What are the causes of famines?
Famines are caused by high levels of continuing poverty and malnutrition in an agro
climatic environment that is affected by variations in rainfall, lack of adequate means
of transportation and communication as well as inadequate efforts on the part of the
state.
10 Define the term Epidemic.
It refers to the diseases which caused a large number of deaths in societies. It has
been controlled due to mass vaccination, better sanitation. But malaria. TB,
diarrhoea and dysentery kill people even today.
11 How does India benefit from a ‘demographic dividend’?
OR
Do you think that the high working population of India is its
demographic dividend? Support your view by giving suitable examples.
India is one of the youngest countries in the world—majority of Indians tend to be
young.
, The average age is also less than that for most other countries..
The present trend indicates that the 0-14 age group will reduce, thus the changing
age structure could offer a demographic dividend for India.
These potentials can be converted into actual growth with the increased level of
education and employment.
Yet in the present time we can’t refer it as dividend for the country as-
The literacy rate is still quite low despite the efforts of the government.
Unemployment is another factor which puts this workforce into dependency.
There is widespread disguised unemployment in the agricultural sectors.
The workers are not trained and skilled enough to use its full potential.
12 State and critically analyse the Malthusian theory of population change.
The English political economist Thomas Robert Malthus outlined his theory of
population growth in his Essay on Population.
According to him, human population growth tends to grow at a much faster rate
than the means of subsistence or agricultural products.
He said that population grow in a geometrical pattern e.g. 2 4 8 16 32 while
agricultural products grow in an arithmetic pattern e.g. 2 4 6 8 10etc
Therefore humanity is condemned to live in poverty because the growth of
agricultural production will always be overtaken by population growth.
So the only way to increase prosperity is by controlling the growth of the
population.
He suggested two measures to control population
1. Preventive Checks such as postponing marriage or practicing sexual
abstinence or celibacy.
2. Positive Checks In the form of famine or diseases as they were nature’s
way of dealing with the imbalance between food supply and increasing
population.
Criticism of Malthusian Theory
Sociology - Class 12
Book 1 INDIAN SOCIETY
Chapter : 2 Demographic features of Indian Society
1. What is “Demography”?
The term demography is of Greek origin and composed of the two words
demos means people and graphein means describe or description of the
people. Demography is the systematic study of population. It studies
birth, death, migration, sex ratio etc.
2. Differentiate between formal demography and social demography.
There are different varieties of demography but commonly we divide it into two
types - formal and social.
Formal demography related largely with the quantitative field and focuses on
numeric data.
Social demography related to the qualitative field and focuses on the social,
economic and political aspect of population
3. Write the factors responsible for beginning of demographic study
Following processes made study of demography essential –
The formation of nation states as the principal form of political organisation.
The beginnings of the modern science of statistics.
,4 Write the importance of demographic study of population.
Demographic studies cover almost all the spheres of population like birth rate,
death rate, life expectancy, literacy rate, maternal and infant mortality rate
,TFR etc.
It gives us data related to the growth and quality of the population of a
country.
These data are very important to understand the problems and requirement of
the people and make plans and policies related to it
These policies are very important for economic development and general public
welfare.
5 When did census begin for collecting demographic data?
The modern state had begun to expand its role and functions.
It had for instance, begun to take an active interest in the development of
every sphere of society such as-
policing and maintenance of law and order, health economy, agriculture,
industry, taxation, revenue generation etc.
This new and constantly expanding sphere of state actively required the
systematic and regular collection of quantitative data.
The American census of 1790 was probably the first modern census.
In India censuses began between 1867-72 and regular ten yearly since 1881.
6 Give reasons why there are more females than males in most countries.
Historically there are slightly more female than male all over the world 1050 females
as per 1000 males
This is despite the fact that slightly more male babies are born than female ones.
This seems to be due to two reasons-
First the girl babies have more resistance to disease in infancy than boy babies.
,Second, the life cycle. Women have tended to live more than the men so that there
are more old women than men in most sosocieties .
7 Why is the rising dependency ratio a cause for worry in countries that are facing an aging
population?
Dependency ratio refers to the proportion of dependents (elderly people and
children) with working age group (i.e. 15 – 60 years
High working population is also referred as ‘demographic dividend’
A rising dependency ratio is a cause for worry in countries that are facing an aging
population, since it becomes difficult for a relatively smaller proportion of working -
age people to carry the burden of providing for a relatively larger proportion of
dedependents.
8 Why is falling dependency ratio a source of economic growth & prosperity?
Falling dependency ratio can be a source of economic growth and prosperity due
to a high working population as compared to a low non-working population.
But either situation would not be stable as in future the falling dependency ratio will
turn into less working population while the situation related to high dependency ratio
will have a high working population.
9. What are the causes of famines?
Famines are caused by high levels of continuing poverty and malnutrition in an agro
climatic environment that is affected by variations in rainfall, lack of adequate means
of transportation and communication as well as inadequate efforts on the part of the
state.
10 Define the term Epidemic.
It refers to the diseases which caused a large number of deaths in societies. It has
been controlled due to mass vaccination, better sanitation. But malaria. TB,
diarrhoea and dysentery kill people even today.
11 How does India benefit from a ‘demographic dividend’?
OR
Do you think that the high working population of India is its
demographic dividend? Support your view by giving suitable examples.
India is one of the youngest countries in the world—majority of Indians tend to be
young.
, The average age is also less than that for most other countries..
The present trend indicates that the 0-14 age group will reduce, thus the changing
age structure could offer a demographic dividend for India.
These potentials can be converted into actual growth with the increased level of
education and employment.
Yet in the present time we can’t refer it as dividend for the country as-
The literacy rate is still quite low despite the efforts of the government.
Unemployment is another factor which puts this workforce into dependency.
There is widespread disguised unemployment in the agricultural sectors.
The workers are not trained and skilled enough to use its full potential.
12 State and critically analyse the Malthusian theory of population change.
The English political economist Thomas Robert Malthus outlined his theory of
population growth in his Essay on Population.
According to him, human population growth tends to grow at a much faster rate
than the means of subsistence or agricultural products.
He said that population grow in a geometrical pattern e.g. 2 4 8 16 32 while
agricultural products grow in an arithmetic pattern e.g. 2 4 6 8 10etc
Therefore humanity is condemned to live in poverty because the growth of
agricultural production will always be overtaken by population growth.
So the only way to increase prosperity is by controlling the growth of the
population.
He suggested two measures to control population
1. Preventive Checks such as postponing marriage or practicing sexual
abstinence or celibacy.
2. Positive Checks In the form of famine or diseases as they were nature’s
way of dealing with the imbalance between food supply and increasing
population.
Criticism of Malthusian Theory
