Geography Optional · Paper I · Human Geography
Population and Settlement Geography Notes · PYQs · Solved Answers
Free notes, every previous year question and the solved answers for Population and Settlement Geography (Paper I, Human Geography), arranged so you can read a topic and immediately see how UPSC has asked it. Syllabus: Population growth and migration, demographic transition, rural and urban settlements, morphology and hierarchy.
41
Solved PYQs
2013–2026
Years covered
83
Questions listed
60
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Free notes Previous year questions Solved answers All Geography Optional units
Paper I · Unit 08
Population and Settlement Geography notes
Topic-wise notes for this unit in syllabus order. Read a topic, then open its previous year questions below.
Free notes
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Ackerman’s Conception of Population-Resource Regions
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Age Composition of the Population and its Global Pattern
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Central Place Theory of Christaller and Losch
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Classification of Settlements: Functional Basis and Rural–Urban Continuum
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Classification of Urban Settlements
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Concept of Over, Under and Optimum Population
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Concept of Primate City and Rank-Size Rule
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Concept, Determinants and Spatial Patterns of Caste and Tribe Composition
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Concept, Determinants and Spatial Patterns of Religion
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Contemporary Urban Geography Terminologies
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Conurbations and Metropolitan Regions
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Definition and Core Areas of Population Geography
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Demographic Attributes (Demographics)
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Development of Population Geography
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Development of Population Geography in India
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Economic Composition & Pattern of Work Participation Rate
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Environmental issues in Rural Settlement
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Epidemiological and Health Transition Theory
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Factors influencing Population Distribution and Density
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Fertility: Measures and Determinants of Fertility
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Functional Classification of Towns and Cities
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Growth of World Population
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Hierarchy of Urban Settlements
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Measurements & Trends and Patterns of Migration
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Migration in India
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Morphology of Rural Settlement
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Mortality: Measurements, Trends and Patterns
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Neo-Malthusian Theory: Concepts, Thinkers & Case Studies
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Optimum Population Theory
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Origin and Growth of Settlements (Evolution of Settlements)
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Pattern of Population Density and Density Zones
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Pattern of Rural Settlement
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Population Distribution and Density in India
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Population Distribution in the World
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Population Growth in India (Demographics of India)
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Population Policy of India
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Population Policy: Rationale, Elements of Population Policy
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Pre-Malthusian Perspectives on Population: Mercantilist and Physiocratic Views
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Problems and remedies of Urbanization – UPSC
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Rural Settlement and Urban Settlement
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Rural-Urban Distribution of Population: Global and Indian Scenario
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Rural-Urban Fringe
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Satellite Towns
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Settlement Geography: Concept, Evolution, and Major Approaches
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Sex Composition & Age-Sex Pyramid
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Slums, Slum Development and Associated Problems
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Social Capital & Population as Social Capital
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Social Morphology of Rural Settlements in India
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Social Well-Being and Quality of Life
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Sphere of Urban Influence
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Sustainable Development of Cities
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The Settlement: Meaning, Nature and Conceptual Understanding
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Theories of Migration
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Theories of the Evolution of Human Settlements
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Types of Rural Settlement
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Urban Morphology & Theories of Urban Morphology
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Urban Morphology of Indian Cities
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Urban Sprawl: Concept, Characteristics, Causes and Impacts
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Urbanization: Trend and Pattern of Urbanisation
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World Migration: Causes and Consequences of Migration
Free practice
Previous year questions: Population and Settlement Geography
Every question UPSC has asked from this unit, year-wise, with a link to its solved answer.
Topic-wise question list
Year-wise question papers
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UPSC Geography Optional Question Paper 2019
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UPSC Mains 2026: Geography Optional Topic-wise Questions {Paper I and Paper II}
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UPSC Geography Optional Question Paper 2026
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UPSC Geography Optional Question Paper 2025
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UPSC Geography Optional Question Paper 2024
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UPSC Geography Optional Question Paper 2023
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UPSC Geography Optional Question Paper 2022
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UPSC Geography Optional Question Paper 2021
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UPSC Geography Optional Question Paper 2020
300+ Score Pack
Solved PYQ answers: Population and Settlement Geography
Model answers written the way a 300+ scorer writes them, newest exam year first. Members open the full answer; everyone else sees the question and can join the pack.
PYQ Solutions
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Elaborate partition of Indian subcontinent and international migration in detail.
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Analyse the measuring patterns of settlement in relation to the Nearest Neighbour Index and Rank-Size-Rule in detail.
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“The majority of migrants go only a short distance.” Explain with examples.
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Discuss the Geometry of Land Values in Urban Community and delimiting the Central Business District (CBD) in detail.
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Factors in internal migration are often based on perceptions rather than reality. Explain.
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Critically evaluate the role of primate cities in dominating the urban spheres of influence in developing countries.
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“The global demographic landscape is evolving with rapid population growth in some places and rapid ageing in others.” Elucidate with examples.
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Analyze the role of demographic transition theory in explaining variations in fertility and mortality rates globally.
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What is Transnationalism? Why has the scale and scope of transnational linkages of diaspora multiplied in recent times?
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“In developed countries, migration rather than fertility will be the main driver of population dynamics over the next few decades.” Examine the statement.
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Central Business Districts (CBDs) are in decline as the economic core of metropolitan cities. Critically examine.
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The urbanisation process is particularly pronounced in Asia and Africa, where too many urban residents grapple with extreme poverty, exclusion, vulnerability and marginalisation. Discuss.
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Human migration is a reflection of the balance between push and pull factors. Elaborate with reference to the most recent diaspora.
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Explain the problems and prospects of urban expansion in the context of urban fringe in developed and developing nations.
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What is the relation between gender equity and human development? Provide a list of commonly used gender related indices.
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“Rural settlements are expressions of the basic relationships between human beings and their physical and social environment.”
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Examine the morphological factors that influence the origin and growth of town.
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Over crowding leads to chronic problem of shortage of housing in Indian cities” Explain citing relevant examples.
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How migration is affected by push and pull factors? Explain how these factors play/ a role in understanding new settlement patterns.
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Examine the relevance of the Central Place Theory of Christaller in the present context.
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Distinguish between mobility and migration. What are the causes and consequences of rural to urban migration in India?
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“Where economic growth is sustained over long time periods, its incidence works towards a progressive integration of the space economy.” Elucidate.
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Provide an account of world population transition in the context of fertility decline and socio-economic development.
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Explain the relationship between net reproductive rate (NRR) and true replacement level of population.
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What do you mean by ‘climate migrants’? Suggest appropriate policies and programmes for their resettlement.
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Assess the challenges for countries with the largest shares of aged populations.
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Comment upon the contributions of D.M. Smith in outlining ‘welfare’ as a key focus in the geographies of social well-being.
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Citing examples from Asia and Europe, comment upon the contexts within which pro natalist population policies are advanced. What could be the implications of these policies on women’s workforce participation?
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Explain the concepts of “megalopolis” and “exopolis” with regard to the growth of cities indicating whether the two can and do overlap.
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“There are considerable demographic similarities between West European nations and Japan.” Explain.
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Examine the causes and consequences of forced migration of population in the present context.
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Define the quality of life and explain its parameters with adequate examples.
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Explain the concept of social capital in relation to India.
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Discuss the role of site in determining the types and patterns of rural settlements.
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Describe the regional pattern of Life Expectancy in the world and bring out the challenges faced by developing countries due to increasing life expectancy.
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Discuss Nelson’s method of functional classification of towns.
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Cortication examine the theories on population migration.
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Discuss the factors responsible for counter-urbanisation.
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Write short note: Mishra’s theoretical stages of Rural-Urban process.
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What are Geriatrics? What are the problems associated with Geriatric population?
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“Urban Geography is nothing but city “in” area and city “as” area.” Elaborate.
Model Q&A and topic notes
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“A country may complete its fertility transition without achieving its employment or welfare transition.” Discuss with reference to developing countries.
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“Demographic transition is both a cause and a consequence of wider socio-economic and spatial transitions.” Discuss.
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“In the discourse on population, Malthus and Marx appear to touch similar ground but walk divergent paths.” Comment.
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Critically examine the Marxian theory of population. Assess the relevance of Marxian population theory in contemporary times.
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Examine the influence of Malthusian views on the development of population policies across the world.
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“In an age of climate crisis, pandemics and forced migration, the world seems to be facing a Malthusian reckoning.” Critically Examine.
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Examine the concept of optimum population and its limitations as a tool for population policy.
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Climate change may produce overpopulation without any increase in population. Comment.
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A region may be economically underpopulated but ecologically overpopulated.” Explain with suitable examples.”
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Geriatrics and Problems of the Geriatric Population
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Concept, Determinants and Spatial Patterns of Sources of Literacy and Levels of Educational Attainment
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Explain the concept and significance of satellite towns.
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Examine the methods of delimitation of the rural–urban fringe.
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“Rural–urban continuum makes more sense than rural–urban dichotomy.” Comment.
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Explain the stages of growth of the rural–urban fringe.
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Examine the concept of sphere of urban influence and discuss the methods of its delimitation.
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Discuss the major approaches to functional classification of towns.
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Edward Soja’s “Six Discourses on the Post-Metropolis” perfectly captures the characteristics of post-modern urbanism and post-modern cities. Elaborate.
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Critically analyse the Concentric Zone Theory of E. W. Burgess.
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Examine the relevance of Central Place Theory (CPT) in contemporary times.
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Critically examine the concept of world cities. How does it contradict the central place theory?
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“Rank–size Rule contradicts the idea of Central Place Theory.” Comment.
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Give an account of the functional bases of central place hierarchy.
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“The rank-size rule is a descriptive regularity rather than a predictive model.” Comment.
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Analyse the application of the primate city concept in India.
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Why are Primate Cities More Prominent in Latin America and Africa than in Western Europe?
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Explain the concept of urban hierarchy. In what ways has globalisation dismantled traditional urban hierarchies and replaced them with new geographies of flows?
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“The development of urban geography has been characterised more by revolution than evolution.” Discuss.
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“Urban Geography is nothing but city ‘in’ area and city ‘as’ area.” Elaborate.
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Traditionally used measures of mortality and health fall short of measuring a “life with dignity”. Comment.
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Discuss the concept of Quality of Life. What are the challenges in its measurement?
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“Social Capital is a double-edged sword.” Comment.
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Write a causal account of the level of literacy found across the globe.
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Discuss the phenomenon of population ageing in the world. What will be the consequences of it?
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Write short notes on similarities in the population distribution of southern continents and reasons for the same.
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“The 21st century may witness population contraction as a new normal.” Examine the trend of declining population in the world.
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Explain the Various Types of Population Density
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“Long before the formalisation of the Demographic Transition Model, scholars had proposed social and economic explanations that anticipated its key ideas.” Elaborate.
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Write a critique of natural law theories on population.
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Do you think that there is a Second Demographic Transition taking place? Substantiate.
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“The same population size may be a strength for one country but a weakness for another.” Discuss.
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‘For developing countries, family planning is as crucial as economic planning.’ Do you agree or disagree? Support with arguments and examples.
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Write a critique of the Marxian Theory of Population and highlight its contemporary relevance.
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Examine the relationship between pandemics and fertility.
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“Culture impacts demography transition more than biology ever can.” Use examples from the world to support your argument.
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‘Each phase of demographic transition coincides with broader structural shifts in the society.’ Justify.
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Why is there a growing divergence in fertility trends between the Global North and South, despite globalization and cultural diffusion?
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‘Demographic achievements are more fragile than previously assumed!’ Analyse the statement in the context of mortality changes being experienced in the contemporary world.
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‘The pattern of life expectancy in the world is a reflection of changes in the pattern of prevalent diseases.’ Examine.
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Discuss the evolution and rationale of population policies across the globe.
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“The demographic dividend is not automatic; it is a policy-driven opportunity.” Comment.
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“The world is simultaneously experiencing a population explosion and a population implosion.”
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“The cultural consequences of migration challenge the territorial notion of identity.” Discuss.
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Discuss the pattern of contemporary international migration.
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Discuss the Economic, Behavioural and Social Theories on Migration.
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