Population - Competency-Based Question Bank (with Answers)

Section A: Case-Based Questions

Case Study 1: Country with high birth rate and declining death rate.

Effect on population size?
- Answer: Population Explosion (Rapid increase).
Define "Growth Rate".
- Answer: The difference between the birth rate and the death rate per unit time.
Designing: Age pyramid shape.
- Answer: Triangular (broad base), indicating a large proportion of young individuals.
Analysis: Why death rate declined faster?
- Answer: Improved sanitation, control of epidemics, and better medical facilities reduce deaths quickly, but social/cultural factors keep birth rates high for longer.
Measures to reduce birth rate.
- Answer: Education, family planning awareness, and raising the legal age of marriage.

Case Study 2: City with doubled population density. 6. Define "Population Density".

Answer: The number of individuals per unit area at a given time.

Three problems.
- Answer: Lack of housing (slums), increased pollution, and pressure on public resources like water and transport.
Creating: Slogan.
- Answer: "Small Family, Happy Family" or "Plan your family, secure your future."
Critical Thinking: Urbanization and growth.
- Answer: Yes, it leads to rapid growth mainly through immigration (people moving from rural to urban areas for jobs).
Education of women impact.
- Answer: Educated women tend to marry later, seek careers, and have better knowledge of family planning, leading to lower birth rates.

Section B: Assertion-Reasoning Questions

Directions: (a) Both A/R true, R explains A; (b) Both true, R doesn't explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

Assertion (A): India launched Family Planning in 1952. Reason (R): First country to do so.
- Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
Assertion (A): Age pyramid of developed country is bell-shaped. Reason (R): Pre-reproductive and reproductive counts are equal.
- Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
Assertion (A): Education is best contraceptive. Reason (R): Educated couples marry later.
- Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
Assertion (A): Tubectomy is reversible. Reason (R): Tubes can be reconnected.
- Answer: (d) A is false but R is true (it is technically possible but usually considered permanent). Correct: (d) A is false.
Assertion (A): IMR has decreased in India. Reason (R): Better healthcare/vaccination.
- Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Section C: Creating and Designing (Application & Analysis)

Designing: Survey form.
- Answer: [Fields: Name, Age, Number of children, Occupation, Awareness of family planning].
Creating: Bar graph data.
- Answer: [Description: Steady climb from 360 million in 1951 to over 1.2 billion in 2011].
Analysis: Natality vs Mortality.
- Answer: Natality: Birth rate. Mortality: Death rate. Population grows if Natality > Mortality.
Designing: Contraceptive table.
- Answer: [Barrier: Condom (blocks sperm). Hormonal: Pill (stops ovulation). IUD: Copper-T (prevents implantation). Surgical: Vasectomy (blocks sperm transport)].
Visualisation: Red Triangle.
- Answer: Symbol for family planning/welfare services in India.
Application: Legal marriage age.
- Answer: To ensure physical/mental maturity and to reduce the total reproductive span of a couple.
Creating: Government strategy.
- Answer: Financial incentives for sterilization after two children, free education for the first child.
Analysis: Population and Pollution.
- Answer: More people -> More consumption -> More waste generation and resource depletion.
Designing: Skit script.
- Answer: [Focus on dividing a single loaf of bread among 2 children vs 10 children].
Creating: Sex education letter.
- Answer: [Arguments for scientific knowledge to prevent STDs, unwanted pregnancies, and myths].

Section D: Competency & Critical Thinking

Demography.
- Answer: The statistical study of human populations (size, density, distribution, and vital statistics).
Scenario: Equal birth and death rates.
- Answer: Zero Population Growth (ZPG). The population remains stable.
Critical Thinking: Malthusian theory.
- Answer: Population grows geometrically (2,4,8...) while food grows arithmetically (1,2,3...). Leads to "Malthusian catastrophe" (famine/war).
Application: IUD (Copper-T).
- Answer: Inserted into the uterus by a doctor; releases copper ions that suppress sperm motility and prevent implantation.
Immigration vs Emigration.
- Answer: Immigration: People coming in. Emigration: People leaving.
Diagram Based: Age Pyramids.
- Answer: Expanding (triangular) pyramid represents developing nations with high birth rates.
"Son Preference" role.
- Answer: Couples may continue to have children until they have a boy, leading to larger family sizes.
Analysis: Low Sex Ratio.
- Answer: Caused by social bias, female foeticide (selective abortion), and neglect of female children.
Competency: Oral Contraceptive mechanism.
- Answer: High levels of estrogen/progesterone suppress FSH and LH secretion from the pituitary, preventing the follicles from maturing (no ovulation).
Case: Factory migration.
- Answer: No, it is growth due to "Pull factors" of migration, not natural increase.
Creating: Demographic Transition.
- Answer: As a country develops, it moves from high birth/death rates to low birth/death rates.
Designing: Resource-Population balance.
- Answer: [Diagram: Seesaw with Population on one side and Resources on the other].
Application: Deforestation link.
- Answer: Growing population needs more land for housing and agriculture, leading to clearing of forests.
Critical Thinking: "One Child Policy" ethics.
- Answer: Effective for rapid control but leads to aging population, skewed sex ratios, and human rights concerns.
Analysis: Census.
- Answer: Official count of the population. Conducted every 10 years in India.

Section E: Advanced Competency

Scenario: Barrier method dual advantage.
- Answer: Prevents pregnancy and protects against Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) like HIV/Syphilis.
Designing: World Population Day poster.
- Answer: [Slogan: "Invest in People, Stabilize the Future"].
Application: Amniocentesis.
- Answer: A test of amniotic fluid for chromosomal abnormalities; misused for illegal prenatal sex determination.
Creating: Crossword.
- Answer: [Terms: Vasectomy (Male), Tubectomy (Female)].
Case Study: Aging Population.
- Answer: Higher medical costs for the elderly and a smaller working-age population to support the economy.
Carrying Capacity.
- Answer: The maximum number of individuals that an environment's resources can sustain indefinitely without degradation.
Critical Thinking: Technology and food.
- Answer: Technology (Genetically Modified Crops) increases yield, but over-exploitation of soil and water has sustainable limits.
Analysis: Density comparison.
- Answer: Metro cities have high density (thousands per sq km), rural areas have low density.
Designing: Literacy-Birth rate graph.
- Answer: As literacy (especially female literacy) goes up, the birth rate goes down.
Creating: Girl Child slogan.
- Answer: "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter).

Section A: Case-Based Questions

Case Study 1: Country with high birth rate and declining death rate.

Effect on population size?

Answer: Population Explosion (Rapid increase).

Define "Growth Rate".

Answer: The difference between the birth rate and the death rate per unit time.

Designing: Age pyramid shape.

Answer: Triangular (broad base), indicating a large proportion of young individuals.

Analysis: Why death rate declined faster?

Answer: Improved sanitation, control of epidemics, and better medical facilities reduce deaths quickly, but social/cultural factors keep birth rates high for longer.

Measures to reduce birth rate.

Answer: Education, family planning awareness, and raising the legal age of marriage.

Case Study 2: City with doubled population density. 6. Define "Population Density".

Answer: The number of individuals per unit area at a given time.

Three problems.

Answer: Lack of housing (slums), increased pollution, and pressure on public resources like water and transport.

Creating: Slogan.

Answer: "Small Family, Happy Family" or "Plan your family, secure your future."

Critical Thinking: Urbanization and growth.

Answer: Yes, it leads to rapid growth mainly through immigration (people moving from rural to urban areas for jobs).

Education of women impact.

Answer: Educated women tend to marry later, seek careers, and have better knowledge of family planning, leading to lower birth rates.

Section B: Assertion-Reasoning Questions

Directions: (a) Both A/R true, R explains A; (b) Both true, R doesn't explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

Assertion (A): India launched Family Planning in 1952. Reason (R): First country to do so.

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Assertion (A): Age pyramid of developed country is bell-shaped. Reason (R): Pre-reproductive and reproductive counts are equal.

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Assertion (A): Education is best contraceptive. Reason (R): Educated couples marry later.

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Assertion (A): Tubectomy is reversible. Reason (R): Tubes can be reconnected.

Answer: (d) A is false but R is true (it is technically possible but usually considered permanent). Correct: (d) A is false.

Assertion (A): IMR has decreased in India. Reason (R): Better healthcare/vaccination.

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Section C: Creating and Designing (Application & Analysis)

Designing: Survey form.

Answer: [Fields: Name, Age, Number of children, Occupation, Awareness of family planning].

Creating: Bar graph data.

Answer: [Description: Steady climb from 360 million in 1951 to over 1.2 billion in 2011].

Analysis: Natality vs Mortality.

Answer: Natality: Birth rate. Mortality: Death rate. Population grows if Natality > Mortality.

Designing: Contraceptive table.

Answer: [Barrier: Condom (blocks sperm). Hormonal: Pill (stops ovulation). IUD: Copper-T (prevents implantation). Surgical: Vasectomy (blocks sperm transport)].

Visualisation: Red Triangle.

Answer: Symbol for family planning/welfare services in India.

Application: Legal marriage age.

Answer: To ensure physical/mental maturity and to reduce the total reproductive span of a couple.

Creating: Government strategy.

Answer: Financial incentives for sterilization after two children, free education for the first child.

Analysis: Population and Pollution.

Answer: More people -> More consumption -> More waste generation and resource depletion.

Designing: Skit script.

Answer: [Focus on dividing a single loaf of bread among 2 children vs 10 children].

Creating: Sex education letter.

Answer: [Arguments for scientific knowledge to prevent STDs, unwanted pregnancies, and myths].

Section D: Competency & Critical Thinking

Demography.

Answer: The statistical study of human populations (size, density, distribution, and vital statistics).

Scenario: Equal birth and death rates.

Answer: Zero Population Growth (ZPG). The population remains stable.

Critical Thinking: Malthusian theory.

Answer: Population grows geometrically (2,4,8...) while food grows arithmetically (1,2,3...). Leads to "Malthusian catastrophe" (famine/war).

Application: IUD (Copper-T).

Answer: Inserted into the uterus by a doctor; releases copper ions that suppress sperm motility and prevent implantation.

Immigration vs Emigration.

Answer: Immigration: People coming in. Emigration: People leaving.

Diagram Based: Age Pyramids.

Answer: Expanding (triangular) pyramid represents developing nations with high birth rates.

"Son Preference" role.

Answer: Couples may continue to have children until they have a boy, leading to larger family sizes.

Analysis: Low Sex Ratio.

Answer: Caused by social bias, female foeticide (selective abortion), and neglect of female children.

Competency: Oral Contraceptive mechanism.

Answer: High levels of estrogen/progesterone suppress FSH and LH secretion from the pituitary, preventing the follicles from maturing (no ovulation).

Case: Factory migration.

Answer: No, it is growth due to "Pull factors" of migration, not natural increase.

Creating: Demographic Transition.

Answer: As a country develops, it moves from high birth/death rates to low birth/death rates.

Designing: Resource-Population balance.

Answer: [Diagram: Seesaw with Population on one side and Resources on the other].

Application: Deforestation link.

Answer: Growing population needs more land for housing and agriculture, leading to clearing of forests.

Critical Thinking: "One Child Policy" ethics.

Answer: Effective for rapid control but leads to aging population, skewed sex ratios, and human rights concerns.

Analysis: Census.

Answer: Official count of the population. Conducted every 10 years in India.

Section E: Advanced Competency

Scenario: Barrier method dual advantage.

Answer: Prevents pregnancy and protects against Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) like HIV/Syphilis.

Designing: World Population Day poster.

Answer: [Slogan: "Invest in People, Stabilize the Future"].

Application: Amniocentesis.

Answer: A test of amniotic fluid for chromosomal abnormalities; misused for illegal prenatal sex determination.

Creating: Crossword.

Answer: [Terms: Vasectomy (Male), Tubectomy (Female)].

Case Study: Aging Population.

Answer: Higher medical costs for the elderly and a smaller working-age population to support the economy.

Carrying Capacity.

Answer: The maximum number of individuals that an environment's resources can sustain indefinitely without degradation.

Critical Thinking: Technology and food.

Answer: Technology (Genetically Modified Crops) increases yield, but over-exploitation of soil and water has sustainable limits.

Analysis: Density comparison.

Answer: Metro cities have high density (thousands per sq km), rural areas have low density.

Designing: Literacy-Birth rate graph.

Answer: As literacy (especially female literacy) goes up, the birth rate goes down.

Creating: Girl Child slogan.

Answer: "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter).

Population

Population - Competency-Based Question Bank (with Answers)

Section A: Case-Based Questions

Section B: Assertion-Reasoning Questions

Section C: Creating and Designing (Application & Analysis)

Section D: Competency & Critical Thinking

Section E: Advanced Competency

On this page

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Population

Population - Competency-Based Question Bank (with Answers)

Section A: Case-Based Questions

Section B: Assertion-Reasoning Questions

Section C: Creating and Designing (Application & Analysis)

Section D: Competency & Critical Thinking

Section E: Advanced Competency

On this page