Background: Structure of population is considered as internal structure of any human population with respect to different demographic variables which, usually varies from one population to another. This study deals with composition of population among the Paundra Kshatriya residing in Sonarpur area of West Bengal, India.
Design and setting: This study was undertaken among the Paundra Kshatriya, a Scheduled Caste population group of West Bengal. Altogether, 307 families were covered from Sonarpur, a peri-urban setting of North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.
Methods: A door-to-door survey was undertaken with the help of a structured schedule. Only the Paundra Kshatriya families were considered.
Results: Males were recorded in excess number than their counterpart (Male: 640; female: 598). Mean live birth (2.50) and index of child mortality (24.15) both were considerably lower among the Paundra Kshatriya. A constriction at the base of population pyramid was noticed.
Discussion: Sonarpur being a peri-urban area enjoy nearness to urban centre, Kolkata. This might have played important role in their lifestyle, reproductive life as well as family planning, which have resulted in lower fertility and infant mortality among them.