The Need of Conducting India’s Delayed Census

Source-This post on The Need of Conducting India’s Delayed Census has been created based on the article “Any further delay in Census taking is perilous” published in “The Hindu” on 30 July 2024.

UPSC Syllabus-GS Paper 1 – Population and Associated Issues

Context- The 2021 Census, initially set to start in 2020, is still on hold. Although it was expected to begin in October 2024, the recent Budget 2024-25 allocated only ₹1,309.46 crore for the Census, down from ₹3,768 crore in 2021-22, indicating possible delays.

Meanwhile, preparations like updating maps, pre-testing questionnaires, and training staff continue in the Census Directorates across States and Union Territories.

Why is conducting the Census a priority?

1) Social Justice-It is important because, due to the lack of one since 2011, many people have been unable to access various schemes, benefits, and services.

2) Women Empowerment-The enforcement of the Women’s Reservation Act, which was enacted in 2023 to allocate 33% of seats in Parliament and Assemblies to women, depends on the completion of the Census.

3) Delimitation of Constituencies -The Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act of 2001 requires that constituency boundaries be redrawn only after the first Census done after 2026.

Read More- Delimitation Exercise

4) Caste-Based Census Debate– There is increasing demand for a caste-based census to understand economic conditions of the marginalized communities better.

5) Clarifications on NPR- The draft NPR for the next Census adds new questions about “mother tongue,” “place of parents’ birth,” and “last residence,” which were not in the 2011 NPR. Some States and groups worry these questions could be used for the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

What should be the way forward?

1) Funding and Planning for the 2021 Census– It is essential to ensure adequate funding in the 2025-26 budget to conduct the postponed 2021 Census as early as 2026. This includes finishing the first phase in 2025, which covers house listing, the housing census, and updating the National Population Register (NPR).

2) Census Preparation -The ₹1,309.46 crore allocated can be used for early tasks such as defining enumeration areas, improving questionnaires, and training staff for a digital census.