Census 2011 data shows growth rate of 17.7% between 2001-11

According to the data, Hindu population to total population in 2011 has declined by 0.7 percentage point

According to the data released by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner on Tuesday, the population growth rate in the decade 2001-2011 was found to be 17.7 percent.

"The growth rate of population of the different religious communities in the same period was as Hindus: 16.8 percent; Muslim: 24.6 percent; Christian: 15.5 percent; Sikh: 8.4 percent; Buddhist: 6.1percent and Jain: 5.4 percent," as per the data.

It was also found that the proportion of Hindu population to total population in 2011 has declined by 0.7 percentage point (PP) while the proportion of Muslim population to total population has increased by 0.8 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. There has been no significant change in the proportion of Christians and Jains," as per the data.

According to the data released, the total population of India in 2011 was 121.09 crores out of which Hindus were 96.63 crores (79.8 percent); Muslim 17.22 crores (14.2 percent); Christian 2.78 crores (2.3 percent); Sikh 2.08 crores (1.7 percent); Buddhist 0.84 crores (0.7 percent); Jain 0.45 crores (0.4 percent), Other Religions & Persuasions (ORP) 0.79 crores (0.7 percent) and Religion Not Stated 0.29 crores (0.2 percent).