DECENNIAL CENSUS
1. Context
The decennial census of 2021 has been pushed forward yet again and is unlikely to start till September 2023, at least. The Additional Register General of India communicated to states on January 2, without specifying a reason, that the date of freezing of administrative boundaries has been extended till June 30.
2. What does the Constitution say about the Census?
- The Constitution talks about the use of Census data for the delimitation of constituencies and for determining the quantum of reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. However, it does not say what should be the periodicity of the census.
- The Census Act,1948 which predates the Constitution provides the legal background for several activities relating to the Census without mentioning anything about its periodicity.
- It says: “The Central Government may declare its intention of taking a census whenever it may consider it necessary or desirable to do so”.
- This provision puts the onus of deciding when to conduct a Census on the executive. This is unlike the position in several countries such as the U.S. and Japan where the Constitution or the Census law mandates a Census with defined periodicity.
3. Census
- The census provides information on size, distribution and socio-economic, demographic and other characteristic of the country's population.
- The Census was first started under British Viceroy Lord Mayo in 1872.
- It helped in framing new policies, government programs to uplift areas of improvement in the community.
- The first synchronous census in India was held in 1881.
- Every ten years: Since then, censuses have been undertaken uninterruptedly once every ten years.
- The responsibility of conducting the decennial Census rests with the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
| India’s first Census was held in 1872, conducted non-synchronously in different parts of the country. After that, India has held its decadal censuses regularly from 1881 to 2011. |
4. Importance of Census
- The census can provide population data for every village and town in the country.
- Sample surveys can provide reliable data on social and demographic indicators only at higher geographic levels.
- Census has been providing data on polulation characteristics, housing and amenities.
- The census data are used to determine the number of seats to be reserved for SCs and STs in Parliament, State legislatures, local bodies, and government services.
5. Why there is a delay in Census?
- Administrative boundaries demarcation: As per norms, census can be conducted only three months after freezing of boundary limits of administrative units such as districts, sub-districts, tehsils, talukas etc.
- COVID-19 Pandemic: The pandemic is being cited as the official reason for the delay, but it is an unconvincing excuse. Pandemic-related restrictions were removed long back.
- CAA, NRC Issue: The Union government had declared that the 2021 census would be used to draw up an all-India NRC. The Centre is yet to frame the rules for Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
- Lack of Political will: The Union government has shown no urgency in getting census operations back on track. When questioned about the delay, it refuses to clarify when the census might take place.
6. Implications of Delay
- Firstly, the Census alone can provide population data for every village and town in the country. Sample surveys can also provide reliable data on social and demographic indicators but only at higher geographic levels.
- Secondly, the Census data are used to determine the number of seats to be reserved for SCs and STs in Parliament, State legislatures, local bodies, and government services. In the case of panchayats and municipal bodies, the reservation of seats for SCs and STs is based on their proportion in the population.
- Delay in the Census means that the data from the 2011 Census would continue to be used. In many towns and even panchayats that have seen rapid changes in the composition of their population over the last decade, this would mean that either too many or too few seats are being reserved.
- Delimitation of parliamentary and Assembly constituencies would also continue to be based on the 2001 Census till data from a Census after 2026 are published.
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For Prelims: Census Act,1948, Viceroy Lord Mayo, Office of the Registar General, Census Commissioner, and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
For Mains: 1. What does the Constitution say about the Census? Discuss the significance and challenges associated with the Census in India?
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Source: The Hindu
