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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on June 09, 2025

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What is the significance of the Census?

For Preliminary Examination:  Current events of national and international significance

For Mains Examination: GS II - Indian Polity and Governance

Context:

The Union Home Ministry has announced the next Census will be conducted in two phases and that the reference date for Census enumeration would be March 1, 2027.

Read about:

Census

Caste Census

Key takeaways:

Census Overview and Historical Background:

• A census involves systematically gathering, organizing, and analyzing data about a country’s population. Historical records like Kautilya’s Arthashastra and Abul Fazl’s Ain-i-Akbari, compiled during Emperor Akbar’s reign, mention early forms of population surveys.
• In a synchronous census, data is collected at the same time across the entire country. This practice began in 1881 under British rule, with W.C. Plowden serving as India's first Census Commissioner.
• Until India gained independence, data was gathered using census schedules. While the format of these schedules evolved over time, they generally included questions about age, gender, language, literacy, religion, and caste. Notably, the last detailed caste enumeration for Hindus occurred in 1931.

How the Census is Conducted:

• Census falls under the Union List, with the process governed by the Census Act of 1948. This Act empowers the Central Government to oversee census operations and appoint a Census Commissioner. Each state has Directors of Census Operations appointed by the Centre, and local teachers usually serve as the on-ground staff provided by state authorities.
• Since 1971, the census has been conducted in two phases. The first, called the house-listing phase, lasts around 5–6 months and focuses on collecting data about housing conditions.
• For instance, the 2011 house-listing questionnaire had 35 items covering aspects like type of dwelling, water and sanitation facilities, cooking fuel, and ownership of devices and vehicles.
• The second phase, the population enumeration phase, typically takes place in February of the census year, using March 1 as the reference date. This phase records personal details such as name, age, gender, language, religion, education, occupation, and SC/ST status.
• Preliminary results are published shortly after enumeration (in 2011, by March-end), with the comprehensive final report released two years later, in April 2013.

Importance of the Upcoming Census:

• India has consistently held a census every ten years since 1881, with the last conducted in 2011. However, the 2021 edition was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to be postponed, although it could have been conducted post-2022.

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