Q.The present population growth rate in India is alarming. Suggest ways to check it.

The concept here is population control — specifically, the measures a country can take to slow down a high growth rate. The NCERT textbook for Class 9 (Economics, Chapter 6: Population) and Class 12 (Geography, Chapter 2: The World Population) discuss this under family planning and awareness.

To check the alarming population growth rate in India, the following measures are suggested:

• Promote family planning by making contraceptive methods (like condoms, pills, and IUDs) easily available and affordable, especially in rural areas.
• Raise the age of marriage for girls, as early marriage leads to a longer reproductive period and more children. The legal minimum age is 18 for women and 21 for men.
• Improve female literacy and education — educated women tend to marry later, have fewer children, and adopt family planning more readily.
• Spread awareness through mass media, health workers, and school curricula about the benefits of a small family and the availability of birth control. …

The concern over India’s population growth is not new, but it has become more urgent in recent decades. The NCERT textbook for Class 9 Economics (Chapter 6: Population) clearly states that while India’s population is a resource, its rapid growth puts immense pressure on land, water, food, and public services. The “alarming” rate refers to the fact that even though the birth rate has declined, the large base of young people means the population continues to expand. To check this, we need a multi-pronged approach that addresses both the causes and consequences of high fertility.

First and foremost, education — especially of girls and women — is the single most powerful tool. The NCERT textbook emphasises that literacy, particularly female literacy, is strongly linked to smaller family sizes. When girls stay in school longer, they marry later, have fewer children, and are more likely to use contraceptives. The government’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign and the Right to Education Act are steps in this direction, but implementation in rural areas remains uneven.

Second, access to family planning services must be universal and non-coercive. The textbook notes that the National Family Planning Programme has been in place since 1952, but its success depends on awareness and availability. Free contraceptives, sterilisation services, and counselling should be available at all primary health centres. The focus should be on spacing births, not just limiting them, because healthier mothers and children reduce infant mortality — which in turn reduces the desire for large families as insurance against child loss.

Third, economic incentives can encourage smaller families. For example, linking government benefits — such as subsidised food, housing, or scholarships — to families with two or fewer children has been tried in some states. However, these must be designed carefully to avoid penalising the poor, who often have larger families due to lack of access to contraception and education.

Fourth, improving child survival rates is crucial. When parents are confident that their children will survive infancy, they are less likely to have many children as a safety net. The textbook highlights that India’s infant mortality rate has fallen, but it is still high in many states. Better nutrition, immunisation, and maternal healthcare directly reduce the desire for large families. …