India's Demographic Shift: An Aging Nation

The Sample Registration System report for 2023 reveals that India's working-age population is increasing while the 0-14 age group is declining. There's a rise in elderly population and a decline in fertility rates. Urban areas attract more of the working-age group, while rural areas have a smaller proportion.

India's demographic landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, as revealed by the 2023 Sample Registration System report. The findings highlight a substantial rise in the working-age population and a decline in both fertility rates and the share of the 0-14 age group.

The report details a drop in the 0-14 age group's share, from 41.2% in 1971-1981 to 24.2% in 1991-2023. Concurrently, the total fertility rate has decreased from 5.2 in 1971 to 1.9 in 2023, according to the SRS data. These changes underscore an aging population.

Urban areas, the epicenter of economic activity, continue to draw the working-age group, accounting for 68.8% of the total urban population. In contrast, rural areas host fewer individuals from this group, at 64.6%. The report also notes a rise in the elderly population, with those aged 60 and above constituting 9.7% of the population.

(With inputs from agencies.)