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What is Census?

GS Paper 2:

Topics Covered: Population and associated issues.

 

Context:

Owing to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, Census 2021 and other Census-related field activities have been postponed by the Union Home Ministry.

 

Census:

The census provides information on size, distribution and socio-economic, demographic and other characteristics of the country’s population.

  • The Census was first started under British Viceroy Lord Mayo in 1872. It helped in framing new policies, government programs to uplift areas of improvement in the community.
  • The first synchronous census in India was held in 1881. Since then, censuses have been undertaken uninterruptedly once every ten years.

 

Who conducts census?

The responsibility of conducting the decennial Census rests with the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India under Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

 

The Census is one of the most credible sources of information on the following:

  1. Demography.
  2. Economic Activity.
  3. Literacy and Education.
  4. Housing & Household Amenities.
  5. Urbanization, Fertility, and Mortality.
  6. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
  7. Language.

 

Historical Significance:

  1. ‘Rig-Veda’ reveals that some kind of population count was maintained during 800-600 BC in India.
  2. Arthashastr by ‘Kautilya’ written in the 3rd Century BC prescribed the collection of population statistics as a measure of state policy for taxation.
  3. During the regime of the Mughal king Akbar, the administrative report ‘Ain-e-Akbari’ included comprehensive data pertaining to population, industry, wealth and many other characteristics.

 

Insta Curious:

Did you know that the individual data collected in Census under the Census Act, 1948, are not made public as per the provisions contained in the Act?

 

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

  1. Relation between Census and National Population Register.
  2. NPR vs NRC.
  3. How NRC is related to Assam accord.
  4. Constitutional provisions wrt to grant and revocation of citizenships.
  5. Who carries out Census?

Mains Link:

Discuss why a nationwide NRC exercise may not be feasible.

Sources: the Hindu.