The country’s growth rate is ultimately determined by the quality of its population. The efficiency of a country’s human resources in terms of productivity, the standard of living, and social activities are measured by population quality. The overall level of certain desirable traits in a population is referred to as population quality. The overall population of a country does not contribute equally to the size of the next generation, the distribution of births, particularly in low-fertility populations, differs significantly from that of adult members. Let’s discuss some major factors that influence population quality,
The population’s quality is mainly affected by:
- Literacy Rate
- The health of a person
- Skilled and Trained person
Quality of Population
Impact of Literacy Rate
The literacy rate is the most crucial aspect since it influences people’s consciousness and enhances their quality of life. A person who is educated is considered as a benefit to society, whereas someone who is illiterate is seen as a liability. Education motivates people to set new goals and instills ideals in them. The progress of society is aided by an increase in literacy rates. Literacy not only raises an individual’s standard of living by boosting work prospects, but also boosts the country’s national income, labor efficiency, and cultural prosperity. Higher literacy rates are associated with higher employment rates, greater economic growth, healthier populations, less crime, and it is also very important for the overall healthy democracy of a country. For an individual person, literacy is a foundational skill required to acquire advanced skills.
The Government has taken the following initiatives to boost the literacy rate:
- To improve enrollment in primary school, bridge courses and back-to-school camps have been established.
- The midday meal program was created to boost children’s attendance and retention while also improving their nutritional health. These measures have the potential to increase India’s literate population.
- The government is aiming to ensure that students have access to free education. The government provides free education to children under the age of 14. To guarantee that all children receive a high-quality education.
- The government has launched several programs, including the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which provides free education, and the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, which distributes meals to children during the day. Poor families send their children to school because there is food available.
- Scholarships are also given to students to encourage them to pursue their aspirations. Each student receives a free school uniform, textbooks, and other academic essentials.
Education is a critical component in India’s development.
- As a result of their education, students acquire technical abilities in a wide range of sectors. They can operate more efficiently in their fields and contribute more to the national economy because of their qualities.
- People gain the ability to think creatively as a result of education, which contributes to economic progress.
- It transforms a population liability into an asset by educating it.
Challenges in Education
- There is a significant variance between different segments of the population.
- Male literacy is nearly 16.6% higher than female literacy, and it is around.
- In comparison to rural areas, the cost of living in cities is 16.1% greater.
- In 2011, literacy rates in Kerala ranged from 94 percent to 62 percent.
- In 2013-2014, the primary school system grew to over 8.58 lakh students, but the quality of education has deteriorated, and there is a significant dropout rate.
Impact of Healthcare System
The state of one’s health is a sort of wealth. The foundation for attaining one’s full potential and overcoming illness is one’s health. An ill individual is unable to perform efficiently, posing a risk to the organization. A healthy person can work more effectively and boost the productivity of a company.
- Health is the foundation for fulfilling one’s entire potential and well-being. As a result, the country’s emphasis has been on the population’s health.
- India’s national health strategy strives to improve access to healthcare, family welfare, and nutritional services, with a special focus on the country’s poorest citizens.
- India has established a massive health infrastructure as well as the workforce required in the elementary, secondary, and tertiary sectors, both in the public and private sectors.
The results of the healthcare measures are as follows:
- In 2014, life expectancy was increased to about 68.3 years.
- From 147 in 1951 to 37 in 2015, the infant mortality rate (IMR) has decreased.
- Within the same time period, crude birth rates have plummeted to 20.8, and mortality rates have dropped to 6.5.
Healthcare’s Challenges
- In many parts of India, even these basic health services are unavailable.
- There are only 381 medical schools and 301 dental schools in the country.
- The four states with the most colleges are Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.
- Health care is pricey and out of reach for the average person.
- The majority of doctors work in cities, making it difficult for villages to afford their fees and expenses.
Impact of Skilled and Trained People
The quality of a country’s population is determined by the skills formation gained by its citizens. Some persons with advanced degrees can find white-collar work, while others with specific abilities, such as plumbing, painting, or wiring, can create self-employment options in their own fields.
The main objective of creating a Skilled and Trained person:
- Provide training to all citizens, particularly the youth, so that they can find suitable work or start their own business.
- Various trades, such as blacksmiths, fashion designers, leather crafters, carpenters, nurses, tailors, and handloom artists, are given priority in terms of training, supervision, and financial support.
- Train young people in core areas like real estate, jewelry, finance, tourism, transportation, and a variety of other services.
- The training will attempt to meet the requirements of both domestic and international countries. Several other countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Israel, Germany, and France, have joined Skill India as partners.
- The focus is on training workers to satisfy the demands of the world’s industrialized countries.
Some of the major initiatives taken by the government:
On July 15, 2015, a government of India minister announced the Skill India campaign, with the goal of training over 40 crores (400 million) people in India in various skills by 2022. In order to make India the world’s skill capital, the Indian government has established a number of skill development programs focused on retraining unemployed young. Here are a few examples of initiatives in this area:
- National Skill Development Corporation India( NSDC): The National Skill Development Corporation of India (NSDC) was founded as a public-private partnership with the goal of catalyzing India’s skills landscape.
- Under the ‘Skill-India Mission,’ innovative features will aim to train manpower ineffective communications, entrepreneurial skills, and other areas.
- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana intends to provide industry-relevant skill training to a large number of Indian youth in order to assist them secure a better life. The National Skill Development Mission was created to bring together skill training initiatives from different sectors and states.
- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Kendras: The National Skill Development Corporation (NSC) has established a strategy to ensure that every district has modern Model Training Centers (MTCs), also known as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra’s.
The PMKKs’ goal is to:
- Establish cutting-edge institutions that will set the standard for competency-based skill training.
- Assist the trainees in focusing on quality, long-term sustainability, and the ability to communicate with stakeholders.
- Make an effort to create a model for long-term development.
Conclusion
The literacy rate, person’s health as measured by life expectancy, and the skill formation obtained by the country’s citizens all contribute to the population quality of a country. Besides these, Training and proper education facilities improve the skill of the labor force which is directly related to the overall growth of a society, and it becomes very necessary to upgrade a developing country to a developed country.