Editorial of the Day (10th Aug): Population Census

Context: The Indian decadal Census has been delayed by over 3 years.

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• Concerns have been raised about the consequences of not conducting the Census.
• There is a misconception among officials about substituting the Census with alternative methods of counting the population

The Need for a Timely Census

• Comprehensive Data: The Census provides more than just a population count; it includes locational, familial, and individual information.
• The past decade and a half have seen potential transformations in population count and composition and in areas like education, occupation, employment, health (including COVID-19), and livelihoods.
  • Delaying the Census is seen as irresponsible given the need to examine these changes.
• There is a push for a caste Census for political reasons, overshadowing the broader utility of a general Census for development planning.
  • Missing the 2021 Census is unjustifiable, especially since a general election was conducted amidst uncertainties, indicating that the required machinery is comparable.

Implications of Delay

• Evaluating Government Schemes: Without a proper denominator from the Census, evaluating the success of government programs is misleading.
  • The urgency for a Census is tied to understanding rapid demographic transitions and demographic dividends.
• Reliability of Surveys: Surveys without a recent Census frame are less reliable and representative, affecting the generation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators.
  • Progress in SDGs based on these indicators may be questionable due to statistical inadequacies.
• Global Significance: Accurate demographic data is crucial for population giants like India and China, influencing global population trends.
  • The Census provides real data rather than estimates based on past trends.

The Caste Census Controversy

• Political Motivations: The call for a caste Census is seen as politically motivated, aimed at establishing differential entitlements rather than genuine inclusion.
  • Historically, caste auditing was discontinued for valid reasons, and its revival is questioned.
• Assessment of Deprivation: Assessing deprivation through tangible endowments alone is limited.
  • There is a lack of systematic assessment of mobility in education and occupation against caste despite long-term affirmative actions.

Conclusion

Call for Immediate Census: The delay or avoidance of the Census benefits the state by allowing claims of progress without accurate denominators.

• The scientific community should advocate for the immediate need for a Census to dispel the illusion that surveys and administrative statistics can replace it.
• The key concern remains whether the Census has been delayed or deliberately avoided.

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