Population problem in India : a census study.

The results of the Census of 1911 were reviewed in a book for the first time by the present writer in 1916. The problem of population was then somewhat new to the country and both the Press and the public were inclined to treat it more or less as a joke. The trend of comment was somewhat like this: "We have heard of so many problems in the country, political, social, educational, but what is this problem of population"? Surprisingly enough, the book received more attention in the United Kingdom and the United States of America where the implications of the growth of population in eastern countries were being studied.

When the results of the 1921 Census were published, the author was on deputation to the Jammu and Kashmir State and could not find time for this study. But when the 1931 Census reports and tables were published, the review was brought out in a book under the present title in 1934. By that time officials had begun to take note of the growth of population in the country and the Census Commissioner referred to the 'devastating torrent of babies' which, he said, must be stopped if progress was to be made. The author drew attention to the intensification of the trends noticed in 1916 and suggested that 'a Commission should be appointed, comprised of men and women, British and Indian, with special knowledge of medical relief, public health, education, economics, industry, agriculture and sociology" (page 79). This suggestion was not taken seriously: it was thought at the time that statistics and other material which would be necessary for a scientific investigation of the question did not exist.