Census to be delayed again

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• What is Census?
• What is the legal basis of census exercise in India?
• What is the process of census enumeration in India?
• What are the unique features of upcoming census in India?
• What is National Population Register (NPR)?
• What is the legal basis of NPR?
• News Summary: Census to be delayed again

 

Why in news?

• The Census enumeration, which was scheduled to take place in 2021, has been further pushed to 2024-25 until further orders. 

 

What is Census?

• Population Census provides basic statistics on state of human resources, demography, culture and economic structure at local, regional and national level.
• Beginning in the year 1872, when the first census was conducted non-synchronously, the census enumeration exercise in India is carried out in every 10 years.
  • The first synchronous census was taken under British rule in 1881, by W.C. Plowden, Census Commissioner of India.
• The responsibility of conducting the decadal census rests with the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Ministry of Home Affairs.

 

What is the legal basis of census exercise in India?

• Population census is listed in Union List (entry 69) of Seventh Schedule in Indian Constitution.
• Census is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948.

 

What is process of census enumeration in India?

• The Census Operations in India have been carried out in two phases:
  • Houselisting and Housing Census and 
  • Population Enumeration.
• The Population Enumeration follows the Housing Census within a gap of six to eight months. 
• In Population Enumeration phase each person is enumerated and her/his individual particulars like Age, Marital status, Religion, mother tongue etc.

 

What are the unique features of the upcoming census?

• The ensuing decadal Census of India will be the 16th in series and 8th after independence.
• In the history of Indian Census, for the first time, the Census data will be collected digitally i.e., on Mobile App in the ensuing census.
• Also, self-enumeration facility will be provided for the first time in the forthcoming Census.

 

What is National Population Register (NPR)?

• The NPR is a register of usual residents of the country. It is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR. 
  • According to the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, a usual resident is: 
    • a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more; or 
    • a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more.
  • It includes both Indian citizens as well as a foreign citizen. 
• The objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country. 
• The first National Population Register was prepared in 2010 and updating this data was done during 2015 by conducting door to door survey.
  • The next National Population Register shall be held along with the Census 2021. 
  • Due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, the work of NPR updation and other related field activities got postponed.
• NPR is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General of India (RGI) under the Home Ministry.

 

What is the Legal basis of NPR?

• NPR is prepared under Rule 3 of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.
  • These rules were framed under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
• The NPR is different from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) which excludes the foreign citizens.
  • NRC is a register containing details of Indian Citizens living in India and outside India.

 

News Summary: Census to be delayed again

• In a letter sent to all states and Union Territories, the office of the Registrar General of India (RGI) has extended the deadline of freezing of administrative boundaries to June 30, 2023.
  • Earlier, the deadline for jurisdictional changes was December 31, 2022, and before that, June 30, 2022.
• This means the census enumeration, scheduled to take place in 2021, has been further pushed to later dates.
  • The time period for conducting the ensuing census is not yet decided.
• In the letter, the RGI has cited Covid-19 as a reason for extending the deadline. 
  • The same reason has been given for multiple such deadlines since 2020.

 

Freezing of administrative boundaries 

• Before every Census, states are required to provide information to the RGI on changes in the number of notified districts, villages, towns and other administrative units such as tehsils, talukas and police stations in a state since the last Census. 
• The boundaries of administrative units are frozen three months before the commencement of Census. 
  • As per Rule 8(iv) of Census Rules, 1990, the boundaries of the administrative units shall be frozen from the date intimated by the Census Commissioner, which shall not be earlier than one year from the Census reference date.
• In this period, the boundaries of administrative units cannot be changed and the data is compiled and shared with RGI which begins its preparatory work for the Census.

 

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Q1) What is the importance of census enumeration exercise?

Census is the basis for reviewing the country's progress in the past decade on socio-economic parameters, monitoring the ongoing schemes of the government and plan for the future.

  

Q2) Who are usual residents of India?

 According to the Citizenship Rules, 2003, a usual resident is: a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more; or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more. It includes both Indian citizens as well as a foreign citizen.

 

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Source: Census to be delayed again, deadline for freezing of boundaries extended to June 30  |  Census Division