Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): The one-child norm in China will lead, after a few decades, to more elderly people in proportion to young people.
Reason (R): The one-child norm in China led to a decline in its sex ratio.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
Assertion (A): The one-child norm in China will lead, after a few decades, to more elderly people in proportion to young people. — True. With fewer children born, China will have more elderly people in proportion to young people after a few decades.
Reason (R): The one-child norm in China led to a decline in its sex ratio. — True. Scholars say the norm led to a fall in the sex ratio, the number of females per 1000 males.
Why R does not explain A?
The sex ratio is about the balance between females and males. Ageing is about the balance between old and young. A fall in the sex ratio does not change how many old people there are compared with young people.
The real reason for A is the arrest in population growth. Fewer births mean fewer young people, so the elderly form a larger share. This is also why China later allowed couples to have two children.
NCERT (2026-27): “8.3 Demographic Indicators … Scholars point out the one-child norm introduced in China in the late 1970s as the major reason for low population growth. They also state that this measure led to a decline in the sex ratio, the proportion of females per 1000 males. However, from the table, you will notice that the sex ratio is low and biased against females in all three countries. Scholars cite son preference prevailing in all these countries as the reason. In recent times, all three countries are adopting various measures to improve the situation. One-child norm and the resultant arrest in the growth of population also have other implications. For instance, after a few decades, in China, there will be more elderly people in proportion to young people. This led China to allow couples to have two children. …” |