Maarg Manthan · Topic 9.9

National Population Policy of India (2000)

Geography › Population and Demography · Topic 9.9

The National Population Policy, 2000 (NPP 2000) was announced on 15 February 2000. Its immediate aim was to meet the unmet needs for contraception, health infrastructure and health personnel. Its medium-term aim was to bring the total fertility rate to the replacement level of 2.1 by 2010, and its long-term aim to stabilise the population by 2045, at a level consistent with sustainable development. It set 14 national socio-demographic goals for 2010, such as universal immunisation, a lower infant mortality rate and maternal mortality ratio, and later marriage of girls. The National Population Commission was set up to oversee it.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Population and Demography

At a Glance

Announced 15 February 2000
Medium-term goal Replacement fertility (2.1) by 2010
Long-term goal Population stability by 2045
Goals 14 national socio-demographic goals
Body National Population Commission
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Population and Demography

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the account of the Census and describes the main official policy for population in India. It then leads into the topic on the population policies of the world, which allows comparison. Previous topic: Census Terminology. Next topic: World Population Policies and Family Planning Programmes.

What Led to the National Population Policy 2000?

Early efforts: India was the first country to launch a national family planning programme, in 1952. The first National Population Policy was announced in 1976 during the Emergency, with high targets for sterilisation and a raised minimum age of marriage; compulsion led to a backlash.
After 1977: the programme was renamed Family Welfare, with a voluntary and health-based approach, shown in the National Health Policy of 1983.
Cairo 1994: the International Conference on Population and Development shifted the focus from targets to reproductive rights and health, women’s empowerment and informed choice.
NPP 2000: an expression of this approach, with the Expert Group led by M. S. Swaminathan having prepared the draft in 1994. It stressed that the target-free approach is voluntary and based on informed choice.

What Are the Aims and Goals of the Policy?

Level	Aim
Immediate	Meet the unmet needs for contraception, health infrastructure and health personnel, and provide integrated service delivery for basic reproductive and child health care
Medium-term	Bring the total fertility rate to the replacement level of 2.1 by 2010 through inter-sectoral operational strategies
Long-term	Achieve a stable population by 2045, at a level consistent with the needs of sustainable economic growth, social development and environmental protection

The 14 national socio-demographic goals for 2010 included making school education free and compulsory up to age 14 and reducing the dropout rate; reducing the infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1,000 live births; reducing the maternal mortality ratio to below 100 per 100,000 live births; achieving universal immunisation of children against vaccine-preventable diseases; promoting delayed marriage for girls, not before 18 and preferably after 20; achieving 80 per cent institutional deliveries and 100 per cent deliveries by trained persons; achieving universal access to information and counselling on family planning; achieving 100 per cent registration of births, deaths, marriage and pregnancy; containing the spread of AIDS; promoting small family norms; bringing about integration of Indian systems of medicine in reproductive and child health services; and making family welfare a people-centred programme.

How Has the Policy Fared and What Came After?

National Population Commission: set up in May 2000 under the Prime Minister to review and guide implementation, with the state commissions under Chief Ministers.
Results: the total fertility rate fell from about 3.2 in 2000 to about 2.0 by 2019-21 according to the National Family Health Survey, so replacement level was reached about a decade later than planned. The population will still grow for some decades because of the young age structure, a pattern called population momentum.
Regional gap: Keralam, Tamil Nadu and most southern states reached replacement fertility earlier, while Bihar and Uttar Pradesh stayed above it for longer.
Later programmes: the National Rural Health Mission (2005) and National Health Mission, the Janani Suraksha Yojana (2005), Mission Parivar Vikas (2016) for high-fertility districts, new contraceptives such as injectables, and the Family Planning 2030 commitment.
Debates: proposals for a two-child norm and population control laws in some states, which have been criticised as coercive and harmful to women; experts prefer education, health and choice.

The comparison with other countries is in World Population Policies and Family Planning Programmes, and the census data that measure progress in Census of India: Literacy, Sex Ratio, Family Planning, Old Age Dependency, Age Structure, Density, Population Growth. As an analytical point, the policy’s lesson is that fertility falls most when girls’ education, child survival and access to contraception improve together, and not by compulsion.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Facts Dates and goals are asked
Policy shift From targets to choice
Link Fertility trends

What Came Next?

The next topic describes world population policies and family planning programmes. Next topic: World Population Policies and Family Planning Programmes.

Key People and Terms

NPP 2000 National Population Policy of 2000
TFR Total fertility rate
Replacement level About 2.1
Population momentum Growth after fertility falls
NPC National Population Commission
ICPD International Conference on Population and Development

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

NPP announced on 15 February 2000.
Replacement fertility target: 2010; stabilisation: 2045.
14 national socio-demographic goals.
First national family planning programme: 1952.
Cairo conference: 1994.

Do Not Confuse With

NPP 1976 and NPP 2000 Target-driven versus voluntary and choice-based
Replacement level and stabilisation Fertility of 2.1 versus end of growth
NPC and NHM Population oversight body versus health delivery mission

Memory Hook

Two thousand, two-point-one by ten; stable by forty-five, women and choice to thrive.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for an evaluation of India’s population policy. These points add depth.

Shift Targets to rights
Outcome Replacement fertility
Debate Two-child norm

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Evaluate the National Population Policy of 2000 and discuss how India’s approach to population stabilisation has changed since 1976.”

How to Answer

1976 Targets and compulsion.
2000 Rights and choice.
Results Fertility trends.
Debate Population control laws.

GS Relevance

Prelims: NPP 2000 goals and dates, National Population Commission. GS Paper 2: health and social policy; GS Paper 1: population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Population Policy 2000?

The National Population Policy, 2000 is India's policy on population, announced on 15 February 2000. It aims to meet the unmet need for contraception and health services, bring the total fertility rate to the replacement level of 2.1 by 2010, and stabilise the population by 2045, using a voluntary and informed-choice approach.

What was the long-term objective of the National Population Policy 2000?

The long-term objective of the policy was to achieve a stable population by 2045, at a level consistent with the requirements of sustainable economic growth, social development and environmental protection. The medium-term objective was to bring the total fertility rate down to the replacement level of 2.1 by 2010.

What is the National Population Commission?

The National Population Commission was set up in May 2000 under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, to review, monitor and give direction for the implementation of the National Population Policy. State Population Commissions were also set up, with the Chief Ministers as chairpersons.

How is NPP 2000 different from the 1976 policy?

The policy of 1976, announced during the Emergency, used targets for sterilisation and some compulsion, which led to a backlash. The policy of 2000 adopted a target-free, voluntary approach based on informed choice, reproductive health, and the rights of women, in line with the 1994 Cairo conference.

What is India's total fertility rate now?

According to the National Family Health Survey of 2019-21, India's total fertility rate was about 2.0 children per woman, a little below the replacement level of 2.1. Rates differ across states, being lower in Keralam and Tamil Nadu and higher in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Meghalaya. Newer figures should be checked.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The National Population Policy was announced in 2000.

True

On 15 February 2000.

2 NPP 2000 aimed to stabilise the population by 2045.

True

The medium-term aim was 2.1 fertility by 2010.

3 The National Population Commission is chaired by the Health Minister.

False

It is chaired by the Prime Minister.

4 India's first family planning programme was launched in 1976.