Census 2011 Data

• Historical Overview:
  • First census: 1872, Viceroy Mayo.
  • First scientific/decadal census: 1881, Viceroy Ripon (decided every 10 years).
  • First Census Commissioner of India: W.C. Plowden.
  • 1911-1921 decade: Known as "Great Divide Year" due to population decrease caused by famines and epidemics.
• 2011 Census Specifics:
  • Order: 15th overall, 7th since independence (from 1951), 14th on a decadal basis.
  • Census Commissioner: C. Chandramouli.
  • Motto: "Our Census, Our Future."
  • India's Population: 121.09 crore (second globally at the time, currently first).
  • Decadal Growth (2001-2011): 17.7%.
  • Gender Demographics: Males 51.47%, Females 48.53%.
• Geographical Distribution (Area):
  • Largest State: Rajasthan.
  • Smallest State: Goa.
  • Largest Union Territory (UT): Ladakh.
  • Smallest Union Territory (UT): Lakshadweep.
• Population Distribution (by number):
  • Highest Population States:
    1. Uttar Pradesh (16.51% of India's population)
    2. Maharashtra (9.28%)
    3. Bihar (8.6%)
    4. West Bengal (7.54%)
  • Lowest Population States:
    1. Sikkim (0.05%)
    2. Mizoram (0.09%)
    3. Arunachal Pradesh (0.11%)
    4. Goa (0.12%)
  • Highest Population UT: Delhi.
  • Lowest Population UT: Lakshadweep.
• Decadal Growth (2001-2011):
  • Highest Growth Rate: Meghalaya (27.9%).
  • Lowest Growth Rate: Nagaland (-0.6%) - Only state with negative growth.
• Population Density (persons per sq km):
  • India's Density: 382.
  • Highest Density State: Bihar (1106).
  • Lowest Density State: Arunachal Pradesh (17).
  • Highest Density Overall (including UTs): Delhi (significantly higher than Bihar).
• Sex Ratio (Females per 1000 Males):
  • India's Sex Ratio: 943.
  • Highest Sex Ratio State: Kerala (1084) - Only state with ratio above 1000.
  • Lowest Sex Ratio State: Haryana (879).
  • Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years):
    • Highest Child Sex Ratio: Arunachal Pradesh (972).
    • Lowest Child Sex Ratio: Haryana (834).
• Literacy Rate (7 years and above):
  • India's Literacy Rate: 73%.
  • Male Literacy: 80.09%.
  • Female Literacy: 64.60%.
  • Highest Literacy State: Kerala (94%).
  • Lowest Literacy State: Bihar (61.80%).
• Rural and Urban Population:
  • Highest Rural Population (as % of state's population): Himachal Pradesh (90%).
  • Highest Urban Population (as % of state's population): Goa (62%).
  • Highest Urban Population (by number/count): Maharashtra (5.08 crore).
• Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) Population:
  • SC Population:
    • Highest (by number/count): Uttar Pradesh (approx. 5.25 crore).
    • Highest (by % of state's population): Punjab (31.9%).
  • ST Population:
    • Highest (by number/count): Madhya Pradesh (approx. 1.5 crore).
    • Highest (by % of state's population): Mizoram (94%).

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Current Affairs (August 2025 Reference Date)

International Events & Organizations

• SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization):
  • 25th SCO Summit 2025: To be held in Tianjin, China (Aug 31 - Sep 1).
  • 24th SCO Summit 2024: Astana, Kazakhstan.
  • Founded: 1996 as "Shanghai Five" (China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan).
  • Became SCO: 2001 (Uzbekistan joined).
  • India & Pakistan joined: 2017 (8 members).
  • Iran joined: 2023 (9th member).
  • Belarus joined: 2024 (10th member).
  • Headquarters: Beijing, China.
  • Observer Members: Afghanistan, Mongolia.
  • Turkmenistan is not an SCO member.
• Other Summits:
  • G7 Summit: Canada.
  • BRICS Summit: Brazil.
  • BIMSTEC Summit: Thailand.
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO):
  • Established: 1950.
  • Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Certified an 829 km "Mega Flash Lightning" record in the USA (from 2017).
• International Seabed Authority (ISA):
  • 30th Session held in Kingston, Jamaica.

National & State Events

• Uttarakhand Floods: Heavy rainfall in Uttarkashi district caused flash floods in the Kheerganga river (a tributary of Alaknanda), devastating the Dharali town. Scientific assessment suggests a glacier burst rather than a cloudburst.
• Mining Discoveries:
  • Nickel, Copper, and Platinum group elements discovered in Balukona Jamini Deh Block, Mahasamund District, Chhattisgarh.
  • Gold reserves found in Sihora Tehsil (Mahgava, Kewalari area) of Jabalpur District, Madhya Pradesh.
• Indian Meteorological Department (IMD):
  • Established: 1875.
  • Headquarters: Delhi.
  • Current Head: Mrutyunjay Mohapatra (recipient of Sasakawa Award).
• Judiciary/Legislation:
  • Punjab became the first state to include symbolic language experts in panels under the Juvenile Justice Act 2015 and POCSO Act 2012.
  • Goa passed a bill for Scheduled Tribes reservation in the Legislative Assembly.
• Urban Infrastructure:
  • Delhi Metro Rail Corporation launched the first "Urban Cargo Service."
  • Bengaluru Water Board received BIS certification for its pipe drinking water supply management system.
  • Indore: Location of India's first PPP-based Green Waste Processing Plant.
• Monetary Policy (RBI):
  • Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) kept the Repo Rate unchanged at 5.5%.
  • Bank Rate: 5.75%.
  • RBI's FY26 GDP growth forecast: 6.5%.
  • MPC aims for inflation between 2-6% (4 +/- 2%), based on Urjit Patel Committee recommendations.
  • MPC reviews policy bi-monthly (6 times a year).
  • RBI Governor (Head of MPC) mentioned as Sanjay Malhotra (Note: Actual Governor is Shaktikanta Das).
• Development Projects:
  • Kosi-Mechi Interlink Project: Bihar (approved by Central Cabinet).
  • New Pamban Bridge (India's first vertical lift sea bridge): Inaugurated by PM Modi in Tamil Nadu.
  • First Kukrail Light Safari: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
• Education & Research:
  • IIT Palakkad launched "TutoZ," an AI-powered educational app for competitive exam preparation.
  • Agnishodh Research Cell: Inaugurated by Army Chief Gen. Upendra Dwivedi at IIT Madras.
• Tourism:
  • Sara Tendulkar appointed Brand Ambassador for Australia Tourism (Tagline: "Come and say goodbye.").
• Festivals/Culture:
  • Madhavpur Mela (dedicated to Lord Krishna and Rukmini's marriage): Gujarat.
  • National Handloom Day: August 7.
• Environmental Initiatives:
  • Laddakh established its first Botanical Park in Shok village, along the Shok River (a tributary of Indus).
  • NASA's Crew-9 Mission sent Seabuckthorn and Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat seeds from Ladakh to the International Space Station.
• Other State Initiatives:
  • Rajasthan: Top state for installing solar energy plants at railway stations.
  • Andhra Pradesh: Implemented "Zero Poverty P4 Policy."
  • Assam: Launched "Mukhya Mantri Nijut Mohona" to promote higher education for girls.
  • Nilgiri Tahr Census (jointly by Kerala & Tamil Nadu): Highest population found in Eravikulam National Park, Kerala.

Sports & Awards

• Khelo India Winter Games 2025: Indian Army topped the point table.
• Khelo India Para Games:
  • Mascot: Ujjwala (a sparrow).
  • Held in: Delhi.
• Hockey India Balbir Singh Senior Award (Best Male Player): Harmanpreet Singh.
• Senior Asian Wrestling Championship 2025 (Only Gold for India): Manisha Bhanwala.
• 12th World Games 2025:
  • Location: Chengdu, China.
  • History: Started in 1981, held every 4 years.
  • Sports: 34.
  • India's Record: Only one gold medal (Aditya Mehra in Billiards, 2013).
  • Next Edition (2029): Karlsruhe, Germany.
• World Boxing Cup 2025 (First Indian Gold Medalist): Hitesh Golia (in Brazil).

Prominent Personalities & Obituaries

• Deaths:
  • U Myint Swe: Acting President of Myanmar (died at 74).
  • Satyapal Malik: Former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir (during his tenure, Article 370 was abrogated).
  • Shibu Soren: Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and co-founder of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.
• Mountaineering:
  • Kavakh Yatro (Mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh): Conquered Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa's highest peak).
• Awards:
  • PM Narendra Modi received the 22nd International Friend of the Nation Award from Sri Lanka.
• New Books:
  • "Leo: The Untold Story" by P.S. Raman: About MS Dhoni.
  • "The Great Conciliator" by Sanjeev Chopra: On Late Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Science & Technology

• Planet with Most Moons: Saturn (274 moons, 128 newly discovered).
• Zircon Hypersonic Missile: Mach 9 speed, tested by Russia.
• Anti-Rabies/Anti-Snake Venom Monitoring Portal: "Jubin Portal" launched by Central Government.
• SpaceX: Launched the "Frame 2" mission for Earth's polar orbit.
• Pixxel & SpaceX: Launched "Firefly," the first private satellite constellation.
• India Electric Mobility Index: Launched by NITI Aayog.

Miscellaneous

• Odisha's New Ginger Species: Zingiber Jagannathi Sahoo and Priyadarshani.
• Oldest Player to Debut in International Cricket (62 years): Matthew Brownlee.
• Commonwealth Secretary General (First African Woman): Shirley Botchway (from Ghana).