A measure comparing the proportion of a population composed of dependents i.e., elderly people too old to work, and children too young to work with the proportion in the working-age group, generally defined as 15 to 64 years, is called?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Dependency Ratio
Option (1) Demographic Dividend — Incorrect. The demographic dividend is the benefit a country can gain when the share of working-age people is large and the share of dependents small. It is a result of a low dependency ratio, not the measure itself.
Option (2) Population Ratio — Incorrect. There is no such standard measure in demography.
Option (3) Demographic Transition — Incorrect. Demographic transition is a theory of how population growth changes with development, through stages of birth and death rates. It does not compare dependents with workers.
Option (4) Dependency Ratio — Correct. The dependency ratio compares the dependents (people too old to work, above 64, and children too young to work, below 15) with the working-age group of 15 to 64 years. It equals the population below 15 or above 64 divided by the population aged 15-64, usually as a percentage.
NCERT (2025-26): “2.1 Some Theories and Concepts in Demography …The dependency ratio is a measure comparing the portion of a population which is composed of dependents (i.e., elderly people who are too old to work, and children who are too young to work) with the portion that is in the working age group, generally defined as 15 to 64 years. The dependency ratio is equal to the population below 15 or above 64, divided by population in the 15-64 age group. This is usually expressed as a percentage.…” |