Andrew Tamis
India is soon projected to become the most populous country on the planet by as soon as 2024, despite being only the 7th largest country in terms of landmass (Ritchie,2019). Although the growth has slowed down somewhat recently, this still presents a clear and present problem for future overpopulation if it is not brought even more under control. As shown in the graph below, India’s population has been growing explosively since the 1950s, but this growth rate is beginning to slow and is projected to slow even more in the future (India).
Recent declines in the growth rate have been attributed to a push for rising education levels of women and increased urbanization. Because of this, the fertility rate is currently hovering near 2.2 children per woman, nearing the exact replacement rate of 2.1 (Chandrashekhar, 2019). While this is promising, it is important to remember that no country, especially not one as large as India, is a monolith. Nine of India’s Twenty Two major states are above replacement levels, and they are some of the country’s poorest (Chandrashekhar, 2019). Because of this, any solution by the Indian government will have to be targeted towards the most problematic regions.
Originally, India aimed to reduce population growth with extremely controversial sterilization program in the seventies. This program started out voluntary, but was eventually condemned for forcibly sterilizing more than 8 million people, with a possible focus on ethnic minorities (Chandrashekhar, 2019). While in theory this would reduce the growth rate, the ethical implications are appalling. Negative reactions to this program are what prompted the Indian government to shift its focus to women’s health and reproductive education. The next few years will show how effective this attempt will be, and it will rely on how effectively the government can reach out to their most impoverished communities.
Chandrashekhar, V. (2019, December 12). Why India is making progress in slowing its population growth. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://e360.yale.edu/features/why-india-is-making-progress-in-slowing-its-population-growth
India. (n.d.). Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://ourworldindata.org/country/india
Ritchie, H. (2019, April 16). India will soon overtake China to become the most populous country in the world. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://ourworldindata.org/india-will-soon-overtake-china-to-become-the-most-populous-country-in-the-world