WHAT IS CENSUS?

 

Population Census is defined as the total process of collecting, compiling , analyzing and disseminating demographic , economic and social data at a specific time of all persons in a country or a well defined part of country.

The process will help us t understand the trends in population characteristics.

The census conducted in India is considered as one of the largest administrative exercises undertaken in the world.

Office of the registrar general and census and census commissioner , under the ministry of home affairs is responsible for conducting decennial census.

Census is conducted under the provisions of Census act 1948. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the person who piloted the bill for the act..

Article 246 of Indian Constitution accounts for census. it is a union subject. it is listed at serial number 69 of the seventh schedule of the constitution.

The census act 1948 provides confidentiality for the information collected during census. The information is so confidential so that it is not even accessible to the courts of law. The law specifies penalties for both public and census officials for non compliance or violation of any provision of the act.

IMPORTANCE

• It act as largest single source of information on different characteristics of the population
• The data is used by researchers and demographers to analyze growth and trends of population and make projects.
• The data also helps to enhance the good governance  y using the data for administration, planning and policy making as well as management and evaluation of various programmes by the government.
• The census data is also used for demarcation of constituencies and allocation of representation to parliament , State legislative assemblies and the local bodies.
• Helps to strengthening and planning business .
• Finance commission provides grands based on the data collected in census.

census 2021 was postponed owing to the outbreak of pandemic. It will be the first digital census , also with a provision of self enumeration. it is for the first time that information of households headed by a person from Transgender community and members living in the family will be collected.