Monitoring the population plays a key role in helping meet the national level challenges arising out of the rapid rise in India’s population. With the increasing concern of every educated citizen in the country for our rapidly growing population, it has become necessary to impart essential knowledge about the population phenomenon to our younger gen­eration. The book has been written utilizing the latest data to the extent it has been possible. This book can cater to the needs of all those who are keenly interested in India’s demographic challenges. A conscious effort has been made to have a clear and comprehensible exposition with minimum of technical materials to help general readers of the subject. The book has also been prepared in a language that is understood by those who have not had an advanced training in mathematical demography. About the Author J.P. Singh, an author and lexicographer, holds a PhD in Demography from the Australian National University (Canberra). He had an advance training in population and economics at the ISS, Hague (the Nether­lands), and attended a Summer Training Programme at the Institute of Population, East-West Center of University of Hawaii (USA). He has worked as a Professor Sociology, Additional Director of Population Research Centre (sponsored by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India) and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Patna University (Patna). He has also worked as Director (Higher Education) and Director-cum-Chairman, Bihar Hindi Granth Academy, Government of Bihar. He has published more than 1 research papers and book reviews in professional journals from India and abroad, and has published more than 4 books in the field of demography, anthropology, and?sociology. \n