Civil Registration System (CRS) App

Context

The Civil Registration System (CRS), to register births and deaths is facing glitches that have caused delays in issuance of birth and death registration certificates.

Civil Registration System (CRS) App

• The mobile app, prepared by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (Ministry of Home Affairs), is expected to significantly reduce the time required for the registration of births and deaths.
• According to the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023, all stated births and deaths in the country occurring from October 1, 2023 are to be digitally registered.
• The digital birth certificate can be a single document to prove the date of birth for diverse services which include admission to instructional establishments, government jobs and marriage registration. 
• The centralized database may also help replace the National Population Register (NPR), ration cards, belongings registration and electoral rolls.

National Population Register (NPR)

• NPR is step one to the introduction of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), as per the Citizenship Act.
• NPR, first amassed in 2010 and updated in 2015 through door-to-door enumeration, already has a database of 119 crore residents.

Challenges in Implementation

• Delayed Reporting by Hospitals: Hospitals and healthcare establishments are not uploading statistics in actual time, inflicting bottlenecks.
• Technical Glitches: The digital system demands seamless integration across states and centers, which is not but fully operational.
• Training Issues: Local registrars and health facility workforce require digital education and infrastructure guidance to ensure accurate reporting.

Way Ahead

• Data Privacy: Robust cybersecurity measures should be established place to shield sensitive data shared across more than one database.
• Monitoring: Periodic audits and duty mechanisms for non-reporting or delayed reporting establishments.
• Strengthening Institutional Capacity: Training programs for health facility administrators and registration officials on digital platforms.

The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023

• The act was amended to the Registration of Birth and Death Act 1969.
• Database of births and deaths: The Registrar General, India (who can also issue preferred guidelines for registration of births and deaths) will keep a national database of registered births and deaths.  
  • The Chief Registrars (appointed by states) and Registrars (appointed by states for local region jurisdiction) will be obligated to share data of registered births and deaths to the national database.  
• Connecting database: The national database may be made available to other governments getting ready or preserving other databases. Such databases consist of: National Population Register (NPR), electoral rolls, ration card, and every other national database as notified. 
• Use of birth certificate: The digital birth certificate issued under this system is a single report to prove the date of birth for various services,
  • Admission to an academic organization, 
  • Education of voter lists, 
  • Appointment to a government post, and 
  • Some other cause decided by the imperative government.

Digital information: All stated births and deaths within the country are to be digitally registered.

Prelims PYQ

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

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