Why in the News?

The Government of India will conduct its next population census by March 1, 2027, after an unprecedented 16-year gap.

About the Census of India:

Definition: The Census of India is a nationwide decadal exercise that gathers demographic, social, economic, and cultural data from every resident, regardless of citizenship.
Authority: It is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General (Ministry of Home Affairs) and Census Commissioner under the Census Act, 1948.
Utility: Data from the census is used to formulate policies, redraw electoral boundaries, and implement welfare schemes.

Reference Dates: Most of India will use March 1, 2027, while Ladakh, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand will use October 1, 2026.
Two-Phase Format: It will be conducted in two stages — House Listing and Housing Schedule, followed by Population Enumeration, which will include caste data.
Digital Firsts: This will be India’s first digital census, using a mobile app and offering self-enumeration via an online portal (for NPR-updated households).
Preparation: The 24 lakh enumeration blocks identified for the 2021 census will be reused.
Delimitation Link: The 84th Constitutional Amendment (2001) mandates that delimitation of constituencies be based on the first census after 2026.
Women’s Reservation: The 33% women’s reservation law (128th Amendment) also depends on data from this census.
New Inclusion: The upcoming census will include caste enumeration, likely as a plain list, without grouping under OBC.
NPR Update: No official announcement has been made regarding an update to the National Population Register (NPR), though it holds data for 119 crore residents.

Ancient Mentions: Rig Veda (800–600 BCE) and Arthashastra (321–296 BCE) mentioned population counting for taxation and governance.
Early Colonial Efforts:
- Partial censuses conducted in Allahabad (1824), Banaras (1827–28), and Dacca (1830).
- Fort St. George conducted returns in 1836–37; quinquennial returns started in Madras (1851–67).
First Attempted Pan-India Census:
- 1872: Non-synchronous census; not all British territories covered.
- 17 questions were asked via a house register.
First Modern Census:
- 1881: Conducted under W.C. Plowden; considered the first synchronous and scientific census of India.
- Covered most of British India except Kashmir, French & Portuguese territories.
Subsequent Censuses (1891–1941):
- Held every 10 years: 1891, 1901, 1911, 1921, 1931, and 1941.
- Introduced and refined questions on caste, religion, language, literacy, occupation, disability, etc.
1941 Census:
- Conducted during World War II under difficult conditions.
- Introduced sampling, and used individual slips for detailed data.

Caste data was last collected in 1931, excluding SC/ST information.
Post-1951 Trend: From 1951 to 2011, only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes data were recorded.
SECC 2011: The 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census included caste data, but it was never released.
Data Entry Field: A new drop box for caste will be added beside the existing SC/ST section.

[UPSC 2009] Consider the following statements:

1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population of India has increased more than three times.

2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 *