MAINS Current Affairs includes China’s Beijing to Become a ‘Super-Aged’ Society by 2035 & Internet Access as a Fundamental Right for Children

Society

1. China’s Beijing to Become a ‘Super-Aged’ Society by 2035

Context: Beijing is projected to become a super-aged society by 2035, reflecting China’s rapid demographic transition.

• The trend is driven by persistently low birth rates, increasing life expectancy and a growing proportion of elderly people.
• This demographic shift has implications for China’s labour force, public expenditure, economic growth and global manufacturing supply chains.

What Is a Super-Aged Society?

• A super-aged society is a population in which the proportion of older people crosses a specified demographic threshold.
• Under the classification provided in the source:

• Major implications: An ageing population increases demand for healthcare, pension support, long-term care services and infrastructure designed to meet the needs of older people.

China’s Wider Demographic Shift

• Elderly population in Beijing: At the end of 2025, Beijing had approximately 288 million residents aged 60 years and above, accounting for 24.3% of its population.
• Low fertility rate: China’s fertility rate is estimated at approximately 0–1.2 children per woman, significantly below the replacement-level fertility rate of 2.1.
• Projection for 2035: More than 33% of Beijing’s residents are expected to be aged 60 years or older, meaning approximately one in every three residents will belong to this age group.

These trends indicate that population ageing is becoming a major structural challenge for China, with consequences extending beyond its social welfare system to its broader economic model.

Reasons Behind Population Ageing

1. Low Birth Rates and a Shrinking Workforce

• China’s population has been declining since 2022.
• The one-child policy, implemented from 1979 to 2015, contributed to smaller birth cohorts and a changing age structure.
• High urban living costs and the financial burden associated with raising children have further constrained fertility.
• Fewer births reduce the future working-age population and increase the relative share of older people.

2. Rising Life Expectancy

• Improvements in healthcare and living conditions have raised China’s life expectancy to approximately 78 years.
• Longer life expectancy increases the number of people surviving into older age groups.
• When combined with low fertility, this expands the elderly population while the proportion of working-age residents declines.

3. Demographic Transition

• Large population cohorts are progressively entering retirement age.
• As these groups move out of the workforce, the ratio of working-age people to retirees can decline.
• This increases the pressure on pension systems, healthcare services and the workforce required to support older citizens.

Implications of an Ageing Society

1. Shrinking Labour Force

• A declining working-age population reduces the availability of labour and may increase wage costs.
• This can weaken China’s traditional manufacturing cost advantage.
• Firms may increasingly adopt automation or relocate some production to lower-cost economies, including India and Vietnam.

2. Rising Fiscal Pressure

• An ageing population increases expenditure on pensions, healthcare and long-term care.
• At the same time, a shrinking workforce may reduce the number of contributors supporting pension and social security systems.
• This creates a potential mismatch between public expenditure obligations and available revenues.

3. Lower Savings and Economic Growth

• Population ageing can change household saving and consumption patterns.
• Older households may draw down accumulated savings and spend more on healthcare and other age-related needs.
• Lower savings and investment, alongside a contracting workforce, can constrain potential GDP growth.

4. Emergence of the Silver Economy

• The silver economy refers to economic activities, products and services designed to meet the needs of older people.
• It creates opportunities in areas such as:
  • Healthcare and geriatric services.
  • Assisted living and senior housing.
  • Insurance and retirement planning.
  • Assistive devices and geriatric technology.
  • Long-term care and home-based support.
• Population ageing can therefore generate new markets even as it creates fiscal and labour-market challenges.

5. Implications for Global Supply Chains

• China’s demographic transition may accelerate the “China plus one” strategy, under which businesses diversify production beyond China.
• Countries offering competitive costs, skilled workers and reliable infrastructure may attract a greater share of manufacturing investment.
• India could benefit from these changes, particularly in electronics and manufacturing, provided it strengthens its industrial ecosystem and workforce capabilities.

India’s Position

1. Window of Demographic Advantage

• India has a relatively young population, with a median age of approximately 28 years.
• Its demographic dividend is expected to remain an important opportunity until roughly the 2040s.
• A large working-age population can support economic growth if accompanied by productive employment, adequate skills and higher labour-force participation.

2. Population Ageing Is Already Underway

• According to the India Ageing Report 2023, people aged 60 years and above accounted for approximately 5% of India’s population in 2022.
• Their share is projected to reach approximately 20% by 2050.
• India’s fertility rate was 0 in NFHS-5, already below the replacement-level rate of 2.1.

These figures indicate that India must prepare for population ageing even while it continues to benefit from a comparatively young population.

3. Regional Differences in Ageing

• Population ageing is progressing at different rates across Indian states.
• Southern states, particularly Kerala, are ageing more rapidly.
• Kerala’s elderly population share is projected to exceed 20% by the mid-2030s.
• Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are expected to retain relatively younger populations for longer.

Implications of regional divergence:

• States with older populations may face greater pension, healthcare and long-term care requirements.
• Younger states may have larger immediate demands for education, employment and skills development.
• Differences in demographic structure can influence fiscal requirements, labour migration and the distribution of public resources.

4. Existing Policy Framework for Older Persons

India has introduced several measures to support elderly citizens:

• National Policy for Older Persons, 1999: Provides a policy framework for addressing the needs and welfare of older people.
• Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007: Establishes a legal framework concerning the maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens.
• National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP): Includes social assistance and pension support for eligible vulnerable groups.
• Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana: Supports initiatives aimed at the welfare and empowerment of senior citizens.
• Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: Extended in 2024 to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, subject to the scheme’s applicable provisions.

Challenges for India

1. Getting Old Before Getting Rich

• India’s per capita income remains considerably lower than China’s.
• Consequently, India may experience substantial population ageing before attaining comparable levels of economic prosperity and fiscal capacity.
• Limited public resources and weaker social security coverage could make it more difficult to meet the needs of an expanding elderly population.

2. Pension and Social Security Gaps

• Nearly 90% of Indian workers are employed in the informal sector, according to the source.
• Many informal workers lack adequate pension coverage and dependable retirement savings.
• This increases the risk of old-age poverty and financial dependence on family members.
• Women can be particularly vulnerable because of interrupted employment, unpaid care responsibilities and limited access to independent retirement savings.

3. Healthcare Strain

• The growing burden of non-communicable diseases, dementia and other age-related conditions will increase demand for specialised healthcare.
• India has limited geriatric care capacity relative to its future needs.
• High out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure can place significant financial pressure on elderly people and their families.

4. Skill and Employment Mismatch

• A demographic dividend does not automatically translate into economic growth.
• If young people lack employable skills or cannot find productive jobs, the potential benefits of a large working-age population may remain unrealised.
• Low female labour-force participation further restricts the effective use of India’s human resources.
• Failure to create productive employment today could weaken the economic base needed to support an ageing population in the future.

Way Forward for India

1. Harness the Demographic Dividend

• India should use its current demographic advantage to expand productive employment before the population ages further.
• Investment in vocational education, skill development and manufacturing can improve workforce productivity.
• Skill India and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes can contribute to building skills and expanding industrial employment.
• Increasing women’s participation in the workforce is essential for making fuller use of the available labour force.

2. Strengthen Universal Social Security

• Social security coverage should be expanded to include informal workers, gig workers and other groups with limited retirement protection.
• Strengthening the Atal Pension Yojana, National Pension System (NPS) and relevant provisions of the Code on Social Security, 2020 can contribute to more inclusive retirement protection.
• Greater awareness and easier access to pension mechanisms can help reduce old-age financial vulnerability.

3. Expand Geriatric Healthcare

• District hospitals should develop specialised geriatric units to address age-related health conditions.
• Long-term care insurance and home-based healthcare services should be encouraged.
• Greater availability of trained geriatric professionals and affordable treatment can improve the quality of life of older people.
• Preventive healthcare and early screening should form an important part of elderly care.

4. Develop the Silver Economy

• India should encourage investment in senior living facilities, assistive technologies, elderly healthcare and long-term care services.
• Flexible employment arrangements can enable capable older people to continue working if they choose.
• Developing this sector can create employment opportunities while improving support for an ageing population.

5. Promote Decentralised and Region-Specific Planning

• Population ageing varies significantly across states, requiring differentiated policy responses.
• Finance Commission transfers and state-specific strategies should account for differences in demographic composition and elderly care requirements.
• Older states may need greater emphasis on healthcare and social security, while younger states must prioritise employment, education and skill development.

6. Learn from East Asia

• India should avoid coercive population-control policies.
• Instead, it should create conditions that make it easier for individuals and families to have children if they wish to do so.
• Supportive childcare, affordable housing and family-friendly workplace policies can help address the economic pressures associated with raising children.

Conclusion

China’s transition towards a super-aged society highlights the far-reaching effects of low fertility, rising longevity and a shrinking workforce. Although these changes may create opportunities for India through manufacturing diversification and the China plus one strategy, such gains are not automatic.

India must convert its current demographic advantage into productive employment, stronger skills, greater female workforce participation and wider social security coverage. Simultaneously, it must prepare its healthcare and welfare systems for its own ageing transition. A forward-looking approach can help India benefit from its demographic dividend today while ensuring economic security and dignity for its elderly population tomorrow.

Polity and Governance

2. Internet Access as a Fundamental Right for Children

Context: The Supreme Court, while considering applications related to the circulation of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on social media platforms, recognised children’s right to access the Internet.

• The observations highlight the need to balance children’s constitutional freedoms and digital inclusion with safeguards against online exploitation and abuse.

Key Observations of the Supreme Court

• Internet Access as a Fundamental Right: The Court observed that the right to access and use the Internet is a fundamental right under Article 21 read with Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
• Constitutional Rights of Children: Children possess constitutional rights irrespective of their age. Their freedom of expression cannot be denied merely because they are minors.
• Proposed Safeguards Against Online Abuse:
  • Digital identification database: The government was directed to establish a database of digital identifiers and URLs associated with confirmed abusive material to facilitate its detection and removal.
  • Technological monitoring mechanisms: Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were to be formulated for perceptual hash-matching, URL listing and other technological tools to identify and remove abusive content.
  • Zero tolerance for exploitative content: The Court emphasised that non-consensual, sexually exploitative and abusive material must have no place on the Internet.

Constitutional Provisions

Key Judgements of the Supreme Court

• Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020):
  • The Court held that freedom of speech and expression, as well as the freedom to carry on trade or business through the Internet, is protected under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g).
  • The judgement established an important constitutional framework for examining restrictions on Internet-based activities.
• Pragya Prasun v. Union of India (2025):
  • The Court held that excluding persons with disabilities from digital Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures violated Article 21.
  • It recognised that the right to digital access is an intrinsic component of the right to life.
• Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting v. Cricket Association of Bengal (1995):
  • The Court held that Article 19(1)(a) encompasses the right to know and to receive and impart information and ideas.
  • This principle provides a constitutional foundation for access to information through communication technologies.

Benefits of Internet Use Among Children

• Access to information: Digital platforms enable children to access educational resources, explore subjects beyond classroom teaching and broaden their knowledge.
• Skill development: Internet access supports digital literacy, skill enhancement, creative expression and collaborative learning.
• Social interaction: Online platforms facilitate communication, peer engagement and community-building, allowing children to maintain social connections and exchange ideas.

Concerns Associated with Internet Use

• Social isolation: Excessive dependence on virtual interactions may reduce face-to-face communication and weaken real-world relationships and family bonds.
• Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD): Compulsive Internet use may result in loss of control, withdrawal symptoms and neglect of everyday responsibilities.
• Physical and emotional well-being: Excessive or poorly regulated screen use can disrupt sleep, affect emotional regulation and interfere with children’s daily routines.
• Online exploitation and abuse: Contact with strangers, cyberbullying, impersonation and exposure to inappropriate content can make children vulnerable to harassment and other forms of harm.
• Gender-based digital divide: Boys may enjoy greater access to digital devices and freedom to use the Internet, increasing their exposure to online risks. Conversely, restrictions on girls’ Internet access can limit their digital literacy and their ability to identify and respond to online threats.

Australia’s Social Media Minimum-Age Law

• Legislation: The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, passed in 2025, prohibited children under the age of 16 from creating or holding accounts on designated social media platforms.
• Implementation: The Australian eSafety Commissioner oversees the implementation framework.
• Key concerns:
  • The effectiveness of age-assurance and age-verification mechanisms.
  • Protection of children’s privacy and personal information.
  • Possibilities of circumventing age restrictions.
  • The challenge of protecting children without unnecessarily restricting their access to beneficial digital resources.

Way Ahead

• Child-centric platform design: Digital platforms should adopt age-appropriate default settings, restrict unsolicited contact from unknown users and provide easily accessible mechanisms for reporting harmful content.
• Support for victims: Children affected by online abuse should have access to confidential reporting channels, counselling services and timely legal assistance.
• Digital literacy in schools: Schools should teach children how to evaluate online information, identify manipulation, protect personal data and respond appropriately to cyberbullying and suspicious interactions.
• Balanced regulation: Policies should protect children from exploitation while preserving their constitutional interests in digital access, information and expression.
• Shared responsibility: Government agencies, social media platforms, schools, parents and civil society should work together to promote safer digital environments and strengthen children’s awareness of online risks.

Conclusion

Recognising Internet access as a fundamental right for children underscores the growing importance of digital inclusion in the constitutional framework. However, meaningful access must go beyond connectivity to include safety, privacy, digital literacy and protection from exploitation. The objective should be to create a safe, inclusive and child-friendly digital environment that enables children to exercise their constitutional rights while minimising online harm.

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