India’s Ageing Dilemma: A Sociological Review of Emergent Crises

Abstract

India has been considered a young nation for a long time; nevertheless, the country's population is changing, and by the year 2050, about twenty percent of its inhabitants will be over the age of sixty. In this sociological overview, the new challenges and difficulties that come with getting older in India are examined using a sociological lens. It achieves this by analysing the gaps in policy, the changes in culture, and the structural disparities that exist. It examines the existing welfare models, which are primarily residual and means-tested, and draws attention to the fact that it is difficult for elderly people to obtain health care, that their pensions are inadequate, and that they receive very little assistance from institutions that are designed to assist them in active ageing. Although older people make significant contributions to the economy and provide care for others, they continue to be marginalised due to factors such as ageism, digital exclusion, and the loss of family support systems. Individuals, particularly older women, are made much more susceptible to harm as a result of differences between males and women. The essay advocates for a shift in perspective, moving away from a deficit model and towards one that views older people as providers of social capital and dignity.