Elderly to form 36% of population by century-end

People above 60 will constitute a fifth of India’s population by the middle of the century and even outstrip the number of children between zero and 14, said a report released on Wednesday, warning that the rapid rise of elderly people will hold significant implications for the country’s health, economy and society.

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According to the ‘India Ageing Report 2023’, which was prepared by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), there are 149 million persons aged 60 years and above in 2022 (as on 1 July), comprising around 10.5% of the country’s population.

By 2050, the share of older persons will double to 20.8%, with the absolute number at 347 million. “By the end of the century, the elderly will constitute over 36 percent of the total population of the country,” the report predicted,

The report projected that by 2046, the size of the elderly population in India will be higher than that of children aged 0–14.

“By that time, the population share of 15–59 years will also see a dip. Undoubtedly, the relatively young India today will turn into a rapidly ageing society in the coming decades,” the report stated, recommending multiple measures to ensure an enabling and supportive environment for the elderly.