Explanation: Understanding the population of West Bengal is essential for various administrative and developmental purposes. The population of a state is a critical demographic statistic that influences policy-making, resource allocation, and planning for infrastructure and services.
The population of West Bengal, as per the 2011 Census, is approximately 91.3 million. This figure is derived from a comprehensive enumeration of the state's residents, which includes all individuals living within the geographical boundaries of West Bengal at the time of the census. The census is conducted by the Government of India every ten years to gather detailed information about the population, including age, sex, literacy, and other socio-economic characteristics.
When considering the population of West Bengal, it is important to note that the figure is dynamic and changes over time due to factors such as birth rates, death rates, and migration. However, for the purpose of this question, we are asked to consider the population in terms of millions and round to the nearest million.
The 2011 Census figure of 91.3 million rounds to 8 million when considering the nearest million. This rounding is a standard practice in statistics to simplify large numbers and make them more manageable for analysis and comparison. It is important to understand that rounding does not change the underlying data but provides a simplified representation of the population figure.
In conclusion, the population of West Bengal is approximately 91.3 million, which rounds to 8 million when considering the nearest million. This makes option C the correct answer. Understanding such demographic statistics is crucial for students preparing for competitive examinations, particularly those related to West Bengal's civil services and other state-level exams, as well as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations.