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%.
This story is from the December 11, 2024 edition of Hindustan Times Mumbai.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 11, 2024 edition of Hindustan Times Mumbai.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
No matter what I do, my son will always be my priority: Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza has been jetsetting since her appointment as an ambassador for Dubai's Sports Council in December. But her busy year didn't keep her from ringing in 2025 with her \"forever date\", her six-year-old son Izhaan Mirza Malik.
Love lockdown: OYO's new rule for unmarried couples sparks mixed reactions
On Sunday, the hotel booking platform OYO introduced a new policy that prohibits unmarried couples from checking into its partner hotels in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
Tough questions for India after two debacles in a row
A second series loss raises more questions than answers as head coach's performance comes under the lens
Gambhir, Sharma face BCCI scrutiny
India have lost six of their last eight Tests; they were saved by the weather in Brisbane while the Perth Test win was the only bright spot.
Fan, Ma Long out of tour events over row with WTT
These are somewhat turbulent times in world table tennis.
How far are our leagues from introducing VAR?
Could take up to 18 months to implement it, says Trevor Kettle, federation's chief refereeing officer
NCLAT to hear Meta's plea against ₹213 cr fine on Jan 16
META ASKED NCLAT TO HEAR THE CASE URGENTLY, NOTING ITS IMPLICATIONS AND THE STAKES INVOLVED
India Eyes Private Capital For $107 Billion Grid Expansion
India is asking states to attract more private capital to accelerate the expansion of its power transmission network, part of a plan to revamp the country's grid and accommodate more clean power.
SC transfers CCI's e-commerce probe cases to K'taka HC
The Supreme Court on Monday centralised all petitions challenging the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) anti-trust probe against e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart to the Karnataka high court, while also urging the high court to decide the matter expeditiously.
Services activity rises to 4-month high in Dec
Growth in India's services activity, as measured by the Services Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI), rose to a four-month high of 59.3 in December, up from 58.4 in November, according to a release from S&P Global on Monday.
