India: People, Economy and Regional Development
What this domain tests
India: People, Economy and Regional Development draws on the NCERT 'India: People and Economy' themes: population, migration, human development, settlements, resources, agriculture, industry, transport, trade and regional planning. Expect data-based and cause-effect questions.
Core rules
- Population (2011 Census): 1,210.9 million; density 382 per sq km; sex ratio 943 females per 1,000 males; literacy 74.04% for age 7+; urban share 31.16%; decadal growth 17.7%.
- Distribution is uneven: high densities in the Indo-Gangetic plains, coastal plains and Kerala; low densities in the Himalayas, arid west and forested tribal interiors.
- Demographic dividend requires education, health and jobs; otherwise a youthful population becomes a liability.
- Agriculture: kharif, rabi and zaid seasons; food and non-food crops; the Green Revolution raised wheat and rice yields in irrigated areas; cropping intensity depends on irrigation.
- Industry and services: iron and steel, cotton textiles, petrochemicals, software and tourism; location reflects raw materials, ports, labour and policy.
- Regional development: core-periphery contrasts; hill, desert, drought-prone and tribal regions need targeted investment.
Worked example
Why is the Ganga plain densely populated? Fertile alluvium, reliable water, intensive agriculture, historical urban centres and transport routes support high densities. The reasoning links physical advantage to livelihood and long settlement history. It does not say simply that many people live there.
Traps
Use 2011 figures unless told otherwise. Sex ratio is females per 1,000 males, not the ratio of males to females. Literacy is for age 7+. High population is not the same as high density. Do not treat India's economy as only agriculture.