Head Count

India published the figures on its first census in ten years last week, and even the gloomiest fears about the population explosion proved not gloomy enough. There are now 438 million Indians, about 20% more than in 1951 and 7,000,000 more than the highest estimate. Apparently India's much-publicized birth-control campaign had little or no effect. The Indian Planning Commission sadly concluded that during the third five-year plan, which starts this month, it will have to find jobs for at least 18 million new Indians, a feat that may prove impossible even if the country maintains its favored position as the world's largest recipient of aid from both Russia ($808 million) and the U.S. ($3.8 billion).

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