Around 41% of India's population is below the age of 20, according to new data released from the 2011 census. Muslims have the highest number of children and teenagers, at 47%, reported PTI. The country's young population has reduced since the 2001 census when this age group accounted for 45%, the report added.

The proportion of elderly people in the country has reportedly risen across all communities as life spans have increased. People over 60 years of age account for around 9% of the population. This means that around 50% of the population is made up of those between 20 and 59 years of age.

Data from 2001 shows around 752 people were dependent on every 1,000 persons, while the 2011 census shows 652 people dependent on every 1,000 people. Muslims have the highest dependency ratio, at 748, and Jains have the least, at 498.