Population Of Jains In India

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Population Of Jains In India" by Dheeraj Jain, based on the provided pages:

This document, authored by Dheeraj Jain, presents a demographic analysis of the Jain population in India, primarily drawing data from the 2011 Census of India. The primary objective is to provide an authentic and reliable overview of the Jain community's population size, distribution, trends, and key characteristics.

Key Findings and Observations:

• Total Population and Percentage:

  • As per the 2011 Census, the total Jain population in India was 44,51,753.
  • This represents 0.37% of India's total population (121,08,54,977), making Jains the smallest religious community in India.

• State-wise Distribution:

  • The majority of Jains reside in a few key states.
  • Maharashtra has the largest Jain population (31.46%), followed by Rajasthan (13.97%), Gujarat (13.02%), and Madhya Pradesh (12.74%).
  • These four states together account for a significant portion of the total Jain population.

• District-wise Concentration:

  • The document identifies districts with high concentrations of Jains.
  • Mumbai Suburban, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat, Belgaum, Thane, Mumbai, and Kolhapur are identified as districts with over 1 lakh Jain population. These eight districts collectively house one-third of India's Jain population.
  • Several other districts have populations between 50,000-1 lakh and 25,000-50,000.

• Population Trends (1961-2011):

  • The Jain population's percentage share in India has seen a slight decline from 0.48% in 1981 to 0.37% in 2011.

• Decadal Growth Rate (1961-2011):

  • The decadal growth rate of the Jain population has been fluctuating. It was 24.54% in 2001-2011, which is lower than the national average of 17.72% but higher than some other religious communities. However, the document also highlights that the Jain population's growth rate has generally been lower than other communities for most decades.
  • Specific State Growth Rates (2001-2011): Some states show significant growth (e.g., Jharkhand at 17.6%), while others show a decline (e.g., Gujarat at -4.4%, Haryana at -8.0%, Punjab at -8.1%, Odisha at -8.1%). This indicates regional variations in demographic trends within the Jain community.

• Literacy and Education:

  • Highest Literacy Rate: Jains have the highest literacy rate among all religious communities in India, both for males and females. The overall literacy rate is 94.88% (Male: 96.78%, Female: 92.91%).
  • Educational Attainment: Jains are also far ahead in terms of the level of education. A significant proportion are Graduates and above (25.7%), followed by Senior Secondary (14.1%) and Secondary (15.5%).
  • Despite high literacy, a small number of Jains (2.07 lakh) aged 7 and above were still classified as illiterate in 2011.

• Sex Ratio:

  • The overall Sex Ratio for Jains is 954 females per 1000 males, which is better than the national average of 943.
  • This shows an improvement from 940 in 2001.
  • The document lists districts with concerningly low sex ratios among Jains, indicating areas where this imbalance is more pronounced.

• Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years):

  • The Child Sex Ratio for Jains is 828 girls per 1000 boys in the 0-6 age group.
  • While this shows an improvement from 870 in 2001, it is significantly lower than the national average (918) and other communities, highlighting a concern for the declining number of girl children.
  • Numerous districts are identified with particularly poor child sex ratios among Jains.

• Decreasing Fertility Rate:

  • Jains exhibit the lowest Total Fertility Rate (TFR) among all religious communities, standing at 1.46 in 2011 (down from 1.50 in 2001). This is considerably lower than the national average of 2.17.

• Population Imbalance and Longevity:

  • The low fertility rate and potentially higher longevity contribute to an imbalanced population structure for Jains. They have the least number of children (age group 0-14) and the highest proportion of population in senior age groups (60+).
  • This trend is a cause for concern for the long-term sustainability of the community, although it also indicates a higher life expectancy.
  • Age-wise distribution data reveals a significant decline in the proportion of the population in younger age groups (0-4, 5-9, 10-14) between 2001 and 2011, for both males and females.

In essence, the document provides a detailed statistical snapshot of the Jain population in India, highlighting their strong presence in education and relatively good overall sex ratio, while also pointing to significant demographic challenges related to declining fertility and a skewed age distribution that could impact the community's future growth.