Announcement of Census 2021 Dates

Context

The Union government introduced that the much behind schedule Census 2021 could be held in two levels starting October 1, 2026 and March 1, 2027.

About 

• The census, normally carried out each 10 years to replace the National Population Register (NPR), was scheduled for 2021 however had to be postponed due to the Covid pandemic. 
• The delimitation of constituencies for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies is to be executed on the basis of the first Census after 2026.
• This can be India’s first digital Census and can be the primary Census on account that 1931 to seize granular caste data, past the broader classifications of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) that have been enumerated in every put up-Independence Census.

Census in India

• A census is a survey of the population of a place that consists of collecting info of a rustic’s demographics such as age, sex and occupation.
• History: Under W.C. Plowden, the Census Commissioner of India, the primary synchronous decennial (each ten years) census was carried out in 1881.
  • Independent India’s first census was held in 1951 and considering that then it has taken place in the first yr of every decade.
• The Constitution mandates that enumeration is done but the Census of India Act of 1948 does no longer specify its timing or periodicity.
• The population census is performed by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India underneath the Ministry of Home Affairs.

What is a Caste Census?

• A caste Census entails accumulating data on the population size and socio-economic conditions of several caste groups. 
• First exact caste Census conducted in 1871-72 throughout areas like Bengal and Madras.
• However arbitrary categories led to confusion, as stated by W. Chichele Plowden in the 1881 Census document.
  • 1931 Caste Census: It identified 4,147 castes, exposing challenges like exclusive identities claimed by the equal caste in unique regions.
  • Post-Independence: 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) recognized over 46.7 lakh castes/sub-castes with significant mistakes.

Need for the Census

• Informed Policy Making: The Census affords targeted socio-economic data, assisting the authorities make informed decisions on issues like education, healthcare, housing, employment, and infrastructure.
• Evaluating Development Progress: Comparing census information over decades facilitates investigating the effectiveness of beyond policies, guiding future methods.
• Environmental Planning: The Census provides insights into human settlements and demographic pressures, helping environmental sustainability efforts.
• Electoral Reforms and Delimitation: Census data immediately influences the delimitation of constituencies, ensuring honest illustration in Parliament and State Legislatures.

Way Ahead

• The upcoming Census presents a crucial possibility to bridge long-standing statistics gaps, specifically on caste and socio-economic markers.
• Enumerators should be adequately trained to address complex classifications, particularly for caste data, to ensure reliability and uniformity throughout states.

Source: The Indian Express

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Q. Consider the following statements: (2009)

1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population of India has increased more than three times.
2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only 

(c) Both 1 and 2 

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (d)

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