New Delhi: The Government of India on today released the religious census data of 2011. According to the data, while Hindus constitute 79.8 per cent of the population, Muslims constitute 14.2 per cent. The proportion of Hindu population to total population of 121.09 crore in 2011 has declined by 0.7 percentage point (PP); the proportion of Sikh population has declined by 0.2 PP and the Buddhist population has declined by 0.1 PP during the decade 2001-2011. The proportion of Muslim population to total population has increased by 0.8 PP. There has been no significant change in the proportion of Christians and Jains.
While decadal growth rates are declining among all religious communities, the decline has been faster among Muslims than among Hindus, as has been the case for the past three decades. Fertility rates are also reducing faster among Muslims than among Hindus, along expected demographic lines.
The data is released by sex and residence up to sub-districts and towns. Total Population in 2011 was 121.09 crore.
| Religion | Numbers (Per cent of the population) |
|---|---|
| Hindu | 96.63 crore (79.8 %) |
| Muslim | 17.22 crore (14.2%) |
| Christian | 2.78 crore (2.3%) |
| Sikh | 2.08 crore (1.7%) |
| Buddhist | 0.84 crore (0.7%) |
| Jain | 0.45 crore (0.4%) |
| Other Religions & Persuasions (ORP) | 0.79 crore (0.7%) |
| Religion Not Stated | 0.29 crore (0.2%) |
Growth rate
The growth rate of population in the decade 2001-2011 was 17.7%. The growth rate of population of the different religious communities in the same period was:
| Religion | Growth |
|---|---|
| Hindu | 16.8% |
| Muslim | 24.6% |
| Christian | 15.5% |
| Sikh | 8.4% |
| Buddhist | 6.1% |
| Jain | 5.4% |