Muslims form the largest minority group in India. According to the 1991 census, they constitute about 12 per cent of the country's population. In absolute terms, Muslims in India total 101.6 millions which gives India the distinction of having the second largest Muslim population in the world.
As women become more involved in public life and break patriarchal control in the process, they also deal with the backlash of cultural, traditional and religious reaction. Various interpretations of Muslim law are promoted by different groups in the struggle over women's rights.
The health of the general population as well as specific groups (infants, women, etc) has for long been an important concern for development studies.
The study of female age at marriage in any population is of immense importance due to its strong association with social, economic and demographic change in the population. In India marriages are not only universal but take place at early ages (Nirupama 1981, Pandey 1984, Singh 1986).
In recent years, with the increased pace of urbanisation and modernisation, Indian women of all social classes have entered professional occupations.
Female infanticide - the killing of female infants because they are female- has occurred not only in several cultures across history, but is known to occur in contemporary societies as well [George et al 1992].
Numerous studies have found that most Indian couples have a strong preference for sons over daughters. In an effort to have sons, many couples continue to have children after achieving their desired family size. This practice may have retarded India's fertility decline.
Long back in 1971, the committee on the status of women in India was appointed by the Government of India to undertake a comprehensive examination of all the questions relating to the rights and status of women in the context of changing social and economic conditions in the country and new probl
In early fifties, socioeconomic implications of population growth were a matter of concern largely in the context of the argument that rapid population growth is an obstacle to development.
The demographic transition in the developed countries occurred without a government sponsored family planning programme. The transition took place in a synchronized manner along with socio-economic development. The rate of growth of their population was never very high.