Education as a determinant of fertility: a case study of Kullu Town

Using a sample of 885 females (1/2 of all married women of reproductive age), this study examines the role of education as a determinant of fertility among couples in Kullu town of Himachol Pradesh, India. Of the 885 respondents, only 149 were illiterate. The average family size was 2.88. Findings reveal that 1) the average family size was largest for illiterate respondents (3.57) and for illiterate males (3.76); 2) average family size declined consistently after the middle level of education to 1.29 for post graduate respondents and 2.33 for post graduate males; 3) a negative correlation exists between fertility and education of both husband and wife, with the wife's education having a stronger negative correlation with fertility; and 4) couples with an educational level of matriculation and above have a distinctly smaller family size than those less educated.     

Changing population concentration in India: a macro-regional scenario

There are great spatial variations in the distribution of the fast growing populations of India. About 70% of the 1981 population is concentrated in only 40% of the geographical area. Such a pattern of population concentration, with its spatio-temporal dimension, can be understood better if examined at the macro-regional level considering the physico-climatic and socio-economic diversity of the country. This is done by way of analyzing district level data for India as a whole and also for its various macro-regions. The study reveals that the Great Plains and Coastal Plains and Islands have a homogenous distribution and a higher population increase. The Deccan Plateau shows the most homogenous dispersion of population. The population is declining in the Northern Mountains and the Great Plains but accentuating in the Coastal Plains and Islands and the Deccan Plateau. The north and south of India are showing opposite trends in population concentration.     

Population and geography in India

The field of population geography was first introduced during the 1960s in India and advanced under the direction of Gosal at the Punjab University. Teaching and research in population geography were introduced by Chandigarh at Punjab University, which today is the main center of research activity. Population geography in India has followed the main tenets of geography in general and is based on spatial perspectives. Deficits are apparent in the paucity of research on socioeconomic implications of spatial distributions, but there is infrastructural feedback to support theory development. Theoretical advances moving from theory to fact or from empirical fact to theory are limited. Comprehensive training in methodology and quantitative techniques is needed for further development of population theory: multivariate analysis, factor analysis, principal component analysis, model building, hypothesis testing, and theory formulation. Methodological sophistication will also help in understanding and interpreting the diverse and complex Indian demographic situation. The analysis of population geography in the Indian spatial, cultural, political, and historical context may be applied to other less developed countries of similar sociocultural background. The Indian Census has contributed over the 100 years of its existence reliable and efficiently produced data on a wide variety of measures at assorted scales down to the village level. Field work among geographers has not achieved a level of development commensurate with population censuses. Recent doctoral research has focused on qualitative studies of local situations. Research topics range from the distribution and structure of population, mortality, fertility, and migration to peripheral issues of social segregation. Popular topics include urbanization, labor force, sex composition, literacy, and population growth. Distribution of population and density studies have amounted to only 2 in 30 years. Population texts are in abundance. The Punjab University is the headquarters of the Association of Population Geographers, which publishes the journal "Population Geography." Many advances are still needed in a timely fashion.     

The Mars oxidant experiment (MOx) for Mars '96

The MOx instrument was developed to characterize the reactive nature of the martian soil. The objectives of MOx were: (1) to measure the rate of degradation of organics in the martian environment; (2) to determine if the reactions seen by the Viking biology experiments were caused by a soil oxidant and measure the reactivity of the soil and atmosphere: (3) to monitor the degradation, when exposed to the martian environment, of materials of potential use in future missions; and, finally, (4) to develop technologies and approaches that can be part of future soil analysis instrumentation. The basic approach taken in the MOx instrument was to place a variety of materials composed as thin films in contact with the soil and monitor the physical and chemical changes that result. The optical reflectance of the thin films was the primary sensing-mode. Thin films of organic materials, metals, and semiconductors were prepared. Laboratory simulations demonstrated the response of thin films to active oxidants.