Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in India remained steady at 2.0 in 2021, same as in 2020.
Bihar had the highest TFR at 3.0, while Delhi and West Bengal had the lowest at 1.4.
The population of children (0-14 years) dropped from 41.2% in 1971 to 24.8% in 2021.
The economically active population (15-59 years) increased from 53.4% in 1971 to 66.2% in 2021.
The elderly population (65+) grew from 5.3% to 5.9%, and the 60+ age group increased from 6% to 9%.
The Union Finance Minister announced a high-power committee to address population growth and demographic changes.
The 2021 Census is pending, the last being held in 2011; the Sample Registration System (SRS) is a key survey providing annual estimates on fertility and mortality.
The SRS covered 8,842 sample units and about 84 lakh people across all States.
Kerala has the highest elderly population (14.4%), while Bihar, Assam, and Delhi have the lowest.
The mean age at marriage for females has increased from 19.3 years in 1990 to 22.5 years in 2021.
Several states, including Delhi, West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, have achieved a TFR near the replacement level of 2.1.
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