There are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Mark your answer as per the options given below.
Assertion: The ‘demographic dividend’ results from an increase in the proportion of workers relative to non-workers in the population.
Reasoning: India is one of the youngest countries in the world.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option 2: Both Assertion (A) and reasoning (R) are correct but R is not the correct explanation of A.
Assertion: The ‘demographic dividend’ results from an increase in the proportion of workers relative to non-workers in the population. Correct. The demographic dividend is defined as the economic growth potential that results from shifts in a population’s age structure, specifically when the share of the working-age population (typically 15–64 years) is larger than the share of non-working dependents (children and the elderly).
Reasoning: India is one of the youngest countries in the world. Correct. India currently possesses one of the youngest populations globally, with a median age significantly lower than that of developed economies like Japan or the United States. This provides the foundation for a demographic dividend.
Does R explains A? No. The Assertion is a general definition of demographic dividend that applies to any country. The Reason merely states a fact about India’s age structure. To explain the Assertion, the Reason would need to say something like: "A younger population increases the proportion of people in the working-age group relative to dependents." Merely saying that India is one of the youngest countries does not by itself explain why a demographic dividend occurs; it only indicates that India may have the conditions that can lead to one.