Page 54 - EW June 2023

Special Essay

Population management

— the way forward

POONAM MUTTREJA

NDIA RECENTLY OVERTOOK CHINA TO BECOME India will have to make a strenuous
the most populous country of the world. Ostensibly,
this was due to India’s population growing at a rapid effort to make sure its youth are healthy,
Ipace, and China having stabilised its rate of popula- educated and capable. A delay will
tion growth. Citing China’s example as the country that mean they will not transform into the
has successfully controlled its population, there have been
several calls for stricter, control-centric policies to curtail demographic dividend they could become
the freedom of couples to have as many children as they
want.
Becoming the most populous country in the world can increasing older population leading to highly adverse sex
be a rattling experience. In March and April, I partici- ratios.
pated in numerous seminars and interviews conducted by Adamantly refusing to adopt coersion, successive
global media, representing virtually all continents of the governments of India pursued development-focused
world. The questions that they kept asking were: What is policies and a rights-based, voluntary approach in family
the implication of being the most populous country of the planning. At the same time, India focused on girls’ educa-
world? Where is India headed in the next few decades? tion and women’s socio-economic empowerment. In
The interviews lasted longer than anticipated as journal- geographies where fertility was higher, targeted interven-
ists moved from one subject to another, from demogra- tions such as Mission Parivar Vikas (family development)
phy to resources to politics, India’s youth and the ageing were launched. The result is that while India’s population
population. It was one of the greatest demographic events growth and total fertility rates have slowed, this has hap-
in India, perhaps even more important than crossing the pened gradually. As a result, India has a large population
one-billion mark in 2000. of young people, which every economy needs.
I took pains to explain that India and China are There is also sufficient evidence to show that the num-
countries with distinct cultures and governance systems. ber of children a woman bears declines with her level of
India is a large democracy where although many people schooling. Women without schooling have an average of
don’t have control over their next meal, they have control 2.8 children, compared with 1.8 children for women with
over who their elected leaders will be. India’s people will 12 or more years of schooling, according to NFHS-5. Edu-
not tolerate control-centric coercive family planning cation is the best contraceptive — girls and women need
measures. We realised this when coercion was briefly education and skilling to make them employable.
used during the Emergency (1975-77), targeting males he most important lesson for India to learn from
for forced vasectomies. Around 6.2 million men were TChina is that we should not have self-doubt on the
sterilised in one year, according to a BBC report. In his family planning policy we have followed. It is develop-
book The Sanjay Story (1978) eminent journalist the late ment-based and endorsed by the Programme of Action of
Vinod Mehta documented the misery of males who were the International Conference on Population and Devel-
forced to undergo sterilisation, some even dying due to opment, Cairo. This will help India in further stabilising
botched-up procedures or infection. its population without paying the price China may have
This traumatising experience remains deeply embed- to pay in the future. A second lesson for India is to learn
ded in the collective psyche of India, particularly of male from China and make timely investments in infrastruc-
citizens. The share of male sterilisation in all family ture, quality healthcare, education, professional skilling
planning methods — temporary and permanent — is a and jobs creation.
minuscule 0.3 percent while women’s sterilisation is 37.9 India will need to make a strenuous effort to ensure
percent according to the National Family Health Survey-5 its youth are healthy, educated, empowered and capable.
(NFHS-5, 2019-21). It means women are obliged to bear This is imperative, as a delay will mean a large number
the burden of child-bearing and family planning. This of young people losing opportunities and not being able
debacle shows that one mistake can cause long-lasting — to transform into the demographic dividend they could
if not permanent — damage. become. If India can tap their potential, our population
Contrary to popular perception, India’s population will stabilise further and the economy will boom. The
has been stabilising slowly, and definitely. According country’s youth have the energy to successfully confront
to NFHS-5, India’s total fertility rate (TFR) is 2, i.e, at all challenges, if they are empowered with education and
replacement level. China’s experience of following a skills. That is the way forward for India.
coercive approach has landed it in a demographic crisis
with a fertility rate which is lower than replacement level (An alumna of Harvard University, Poonam Muttreja is Executive Director
indicating a declining young population and a rapidly of the Population Foundation of India)

54 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2023