The Population and Demographic Challenge

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and two chief ministers of Southern states ignited a heated debate on crucial issues such as demographic trends, decline, and the pressing social challenges the country faces.

- Kavita Bajeli-Datt & Preetha Nair

A suggestion that Indian couples should have at least three children to increase the nation's population has caused a political backlash, but also significant concerns about reducing women to mere baby-making machines while overlooking their autonomy and reproductive rights.

The scientific concept known as Total Fertility Rate (TFR), advocating that couples have three children instead of two, is part of India's national family planning program and has been in the public consciousness for decades. It represents the average number of children a woman is expected to bear during her reproductive years, serving as an indicator of population growth and public health.

India's population policy, formulated in 2002, clearly states that the total fertility rate should not be below 2.1. While the policy says 2.1, it is not feasible to maintain this in fraction. So when we say it should be more, it is based on what science says.

Population policy

In 1952, India became the first nation globally to initiate a comprehensive national program focused on family planning. This pioneering effort aimed to reduce birth rates to stabilize the population at a level appropriate for supporting the nation's economic needs. The initiative was designed to align demographic growth with the sustainable requirements of the economy, reflecting a forward-thinking approach to population management during a critical period in the country's development.