No Census causing lack of Vital Data

Context:

• India is one of the few countries that have not conducted the latest Census (44 out of 233 nations have not).

• The Budget 2024-25 allocated ₹1,309.46 crore for the Census, a sharp reduction from ₹3,768 crore in 2021-22.

About Census:

• The Census provides crucial data on population size, distribution, and socio-economic characteristics.

• First initiated in 1872 under British Viceroy Lord Mayo.

• The first synchronous census was conducted in 1881 and has since been held every 10 years without interruption.

Who Conducts the Census?

• Conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Significance of Census Data:

• Economic Activity

• Literacy and Education

• Housing & Household Amenities

• Urbanization, Fertility, and Mortality

• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

Consequences of Delaying the Census:

• Census provides comprehensive and updated data essential for policy-making and governance.

• Large-scale surveys (e.g., NFHS, PLFS) rely on Census data, making them less reliable without an updated Census.

• The changing population dynamics (education, occupation, employment, health, and livelihoods) remain unaccounted for.

• The absence of updated Census data affects:

  • Government schemes and program monitoring

  • Identification of beneficiaries for welfare schemes

  • Implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act (33% seats in Parliament and Assemblies)

  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators’ reliability

  • India’s influence on world population studies

Need for a Caste Census:

• Provides empirical data on disparities for equitable resource distribution.

• Helps in better administrative planning and policy-making.

• Supports targeted development programs for specific caste groups.

• Essential for constitutionally mandated policies such as OBC reservations.

• Prevents misclassification and ensures benefits reach the deserving.

Way Forward:

• SDG indicators require standardization by population count for accurate representation.

• Mere projections and survey estimates fail to capture ground realities.

• Caste auditing is essential to assess differential entitlements.

• Education and occupational mobility trends should be systematically studied.

• The scientific community must advocate for a proper Census instead of relying on surveys.

• Justice Rohini Commission recommends a nationwide socio-economic caste census.

• A State-level caste census is required as different states have varied caste compositions.

Conclusion:

The delay in Census 2021 hampers effective governance, policy-making, and equitable resource distribution. A timely and comprehensive Census, including caste data, is crucial for informed decision-making and achieving sustainable development goals.