IAS Gyan

Daily News Analysis

Census and NPR

5th January, 2022 Polity

Figure 1: No Copyright Infringement Intended

Context:

  • The first phase of census and data collection to update the National Population Register (NPR) has been postponed to at least September 2021.

Background

  • In December 2021, the Indian Registration Authority (RGI) notified the state that the freeze on the borders of districts, sub-districts, Tehsil, Tarka, police stations, etc. was postponed to June 2022.
  • A prerequisite for conducting a census is to freeze the boundaries of administrative units at least three months in advance.
  • Even if the RGI orders the border to be frozen again in June 2022, the exercises will not be available until September 2021.

National population register:

  • It is a register of general residents
  • It is created at the local (village / lowland), district, district, state, and national level in accordance with the provisions of the Citizenship Act of 1955 and the Citizenship Regulations of 2003 (citizen registration and issuance of national ID cards).
  • The NPR was first implemented in 2010 and then updated in 2015 when it was linked to Aadhar.
  • It already has a database of 119 million
  • All general residents of India are required to register with NPR.
  • Common residents are defined as those who have lived in an area for the past 6 months or more, or who will live in that area for the next 6 months or more, for the purposes of NPR.

 Registrar General India:

  • It acts as a "national registration body" and is also a national census commissioner.

 Purpose:

  • Provide a comprehensive identity database for all common residents of the country.
  • The database contains both demographic and biometric

Importance :

  • NPR data will help identify the demographics of actual residents who will be the direct beneficiaries of programs initiated in the region.
  • NPR data will help governments make programs more effective by designing and adapting programs such as Ayushman Bharat and Jandhan Yojna, as well as school materials for current demographics.

 

About Census:

  • The Indian census is the largest administrative and statistical exercise in the world, with more than 30 lakh functionaries and at the cost of about 8700 crore rupees.
  • Confidentiality of data is guaranteed by Census Act, 1948.
  • Same law specifies penalty for BOTH public AND census officials for non-compliance or violation of any provision of the Act.
  • The decennial Census of India has been conducted 15 times as of 2011.
  • It has been undertaken every 10 years, beginning in 1872 under British ViceroyLord Mayo, the first complete census was taken in 1881.
  • The responsibility for conducting a 10-year census lies with the Directorate General of the Census of India and the Census Commission, which are subordinate to the Ministry of Interior of the Government of India.
  • The census collects data on demographic and various socio-economic parameters such as education, SC / ST, religion, language, marriage, birth, disability, occupation, and movement of people.

 

Differences between Census and NPR:

  • The NPR and census processes are started at the same time and the two databases are not identical.
  • The 10-year census is the largest source of various statistics on the diverse characteristics of India's population.
  • The NPR contains only demographic information, but the census requires the following details: Biometric Information on demographics, economic activity, literacy and education, and household and household equipment.