With a total headcount of 68,56,509, the latest Census reveals an appreciable decline in the decadal growth rate and a marked improvement in the key indicators like literacy and female sex ratio in the hill state.

The decadal (2001-2011) growth rate came down to 12.81 from 17.54 (1991-2001), which was less than 17.64 per cent for the country, and the state accounted for only 0.57 per cent of th