From 1871 onwards the base for the study of the population of India is more firm, for actual counts rather than only estimates, are available.

These actual counts, however, cannot be accepted as reliable because, with each census, additional territories were covered and improvements effected in the methodology of conducting a census. The necessary adjustments in the total population figures have, therefore, been made.

The population count for 1867-1871 was 203.4 million, while the adjusted figure was 255.2 million.

The growth rate of India’s population, computed on the basis of adjusted figures, indicates that between 1867-71 and 1881, population increased at the rate of 0.9 per cent, while during 1881-1891 it increased by 9.4 per cent.