The term used for comparing the portion of a population which is composed of dependants with the portion that is in the working age group is called:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Dependency ratio
Option (1) Sex ratio — Incorrect. The sex ratio is the number of females per 1000 males. It compares women and men, not dependants and workers.
Option (2) Fertility rate — Incorrect. The fertility rate is the number of live births per 1000 women in the child-bearing age group, usually 15 to 49 years. It measures births, not the share of dependants.
Option (3) Dependency ratio — Correct. The dependency ratio compares the portion of a population which is composed of dependents – elderly people too old to work and children too young to work – with the portion that is in the working age group, generally 15 to 64 years. It equals the population below 15 or above 64 divided by the population aged 15-64.
Option (4) Total fertility rate — Incorrect. The total fertility rate (TFR) is the average number of children a woman produces; a TFR of 1.7 means 1.7 children per woman. It too is about births, not about dependants.
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.…” “…The fertility rate refers to the number of live births per 1000 women in the child-bearing age group, usually taken to be 15 to 49 years.…” |