ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the demography of the country, highlighting its changing population dynamics. Though the population growth rate has been declining since the eighties, India’s population is expected to continue increasing for some time to come. Literacy and level of education are basic indicators that reflect the level of development achieved by a society. The spread of literacy is generally associated with important traits of modern civilization such as urbanization, industrialization, communication and commerce. Higher levels of education and literacy lead to a greater awareness and also contribute to the improvement of economic and social conditions. It acts as a catalyst for social upliftment enhancing the returns on investment made in almost every aspect of development effort, be it population control, health, hygiene, environmental degradation control, employment of weaker sections of the society.
