Question 10 of 10intermediate💡 UnderstandLong Answer5 marks

Give an account of the occupational structure of India's population.

Correct Answer

The occupational structure of India's population refers to the engagement of individuals in farming, manufacturing, trade, services, or any professional activities. The population is divided into three economic groups: main workers, marginal workers, and non-workers.

The occupational composition shows a large proportion of primary sector workers compared to secondary and tertiary sectors. About 54.6 per cent of the total working population are cultivators and agricultural labourers, indicating the dominance of agriculture in India's economy.

The secondary sector engages only 3.8 per cent of workers in household industries. The tertiary sector accounts for 41.6 per cent as 'other workers', including non-household industries, trade, commerce, construction, repair, and other services.

Regarding gender composition, male workers out-number female workers in all three sectors. In the primary sector, males constitute 16,54,47,075 compared to females at 9,75,75,398. Similar disparity exists in secondary and tertiary sectors.

The proportion of workers (main and marginal) is only 39.8 per cent (2011), leaving about 60 per cent as non-workers. This indicates a larger proportion of dependent population, suggesting possible existence of large number of unemployed or underemployed people in the country.

Exercise: EXERCISES | Q: 3(ii) | (Page 14)
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Explanation

This answer covers all key aspects of occupational structure from the textbook: the sectoral composition (primary, secondary, tertiary) with exact percentages, gender-wise distribution across sectors, and the economic classification into main workers, marginal workers, and non-workers. The answer uses the specific data from Table 1.4 and explains the implications of having a high proportion of non-workers (60%) indicating economic dependency.

Solution Steps

  1. Step 1: Define occupational structure and identify the three economic groups (main workers, marginal workers, non-workers)

  2. Step 2: Present sectoral composition data - Primary (54.6%), Secondary (3.8%), Tertiary (41.6%)

  3. Step 3: Discuss gender disparity across all three sectors with specific figures

  4. Step 4: Analyze work participation rate (39.8%) and its economic implications

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