Latest news with #Census2011
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Census to pave way for nationwide delimitation
NEW DELHI: Population data returned by the upcoming 'Census 2027', due to begin on April 1, 2026, will pave the way for a countrywide delimitation of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies, as the March 1, 2027 reference date makes it "the first Census to be held after 2026". However, the chances of delimitation being completed in time for the 2029 general election appear bleak, given that the final population data may take time to be published. The final population data for Census 2011 was published almost two years after release of the provisional data in March-end 2011. Even with a 'digital' Census - which is expected to facilitate early release of tables - there may be a considerable time lag between completion of the exercise in March 2027 and availability of the final population count to enable initiation of the delimitation process. The home ministry on Thursday took to X to explain the delay in conducting the Census, put on hold five years ago due to the Covid outbreak, stating that hiring lakhs of school teachers as enumerators would have immensely disrupted primary education already hit by the pandemic.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Govt finally announces long- postponed census
The Union government said on Wednesday that the long-delayed census will be carried out in two phases before March 1 2027, announcing a crucial exercise that will enumerate caste for the first time since independence and likely become the base for landmark processes such as delimitation and women's reservation. A statement from the Union home ministry said the reference date – a cut off date when population of a country is usually declared as of a specific day or date –for the 2027 census will be March 1. For the Union Territory of Ladakh and the snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be October 1, 2026. 'It has been decided to conduct Population Census-2027 in two phases along with enumeration of castes,' the statement said. The official headcount, and the houselisting process that precedes it, are expected to be completed by March 1, 2027 but it might take up to another three years for the numbers to be finalised and released, said an official aware of the matter. 'The process of census begins with the issuance of this notification,' said the official quoted above. In 2011, the last time the census was conducted, the entire process of houselisting and enumeration was completed before the reference date of March 1, 2011. The Census 2011 was conducted in two phases — Houselisting and Housing Census between 1st April 2010 to 30th September 2010 and Population Enumeration from 9th February to 28th February 2011. But this time, the census is expected to be conducted digitally and data collected through handheld devices, potentially trimming the time required for collating and sanitising data. The ministry further said that the notification for the intent of conducting the population census with these reference dates will be published in the official gazette, tentatively on June 16 as per section 3 of the Census Act 1948. The census forms an important node of policy making in India as it is the principal source of official socioeconomic and demographic data that forms the basis for government schemes, policies, and planning. But the 2027 census has assumed more importance because it is being held after a decade-and-a-half and will also officially confirm India's status as the world's most-populous nation. It will enumerate caste for the first time since the 1931 census, a politically explosive exercise that will have sweeping socioeconomic ramifications and possibly lead to an expansion of caste-based quotas in jobs and education, likely breaching the 50% mark mandated in a landmark 1992 Supreme Court judgment. The census might also be the basis for conducting the delimitation exercise for Lok Sabha seats, another controversial process that threatens to drive a wedge between northern and southern India, as well as potentially usher in the reservation of a third of all seats in national and state legislatures for women. After the notification for the census is issued on June 16, a key precondition will have to be first fulfilled – freezing of administrative boundaries, which is expected starting January 1, 2026. According to the officer cited above, once the notification is issued and the final date is decided, the first phase of the exercise is expected to begin as early as March or April 2026. The first phase involves house listing – wherein details of all buildings, permanent or temporary, are noted with their type, amenities, and assets. The National Population Register (NPR), a biometric database of all 'usual residents' in India, which is updated every five years, will be updated along with the census. This process is likely to be completed in six to eight months. The second phase - called population enumeration (PE), in which more detailed information on each individual residing in the country, Indian national or otherwise is to be noted along with their caste – is likely to be conducted around February 2027 and conclude before March 1, 2027. The home ministry statement said in 2011, the house listing process was done between April 1 and September 30, 2010, and the population enumeration was done between February 9 and 28, with the reference date of March 1, 2011. For the snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the population enumeration was conducted during September 11 to 30, 2010 with the reference date as October 1, 2010. Census 2021 was also proposed to be conducted in two phases in a similar manner with phase I during April-September 2020 and second phase in February 2021. 'All the preparations for the first phase of the Census to be conducted in 2021 were completed and field work was scheduled to begin in some states/UTs from April 1, 2020. However, due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic across the country, the census work was postponed,' the ministry statement added. A second officer aware of the exercise said, 'This is an exercise to count the numbers and put it out. The data that will come up is unlikely to lead to any policy shifts…or for inclusion or exclusion of any castes in any category'. 'The entire process will be completed in three years. There will be no blocs of castes to choose from. People will have to spell out their castes to the enumerators. The census form will not identify any caste as OBCs,' he added. The Congress said there was no reason to delay the exercise for another 23 months. 'The Modi government is capable only of generating headlines, not meeting deadlines,' said Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh on X. In April, the high-powered cabinet committee on political affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that caste will be a part of the decennial census. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) credited the government's social justice agenda but the Opposition said its sustained pressure forced the administration to buckle on a sensitive issue that was a key node of the 2024 general election campaign. Bihar, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have conducted caste surveys in the last three years, while Karnataka is mulling the release of data of a survey conducted in 2015. All states were ruled by non-BJP dispensations when the surveys were done. The census is the 16th such exercise since the British rule era. In March this year, the Union home ministry had informed a parliamentary standing committee that the preparatory activities for the decadal exercise have been completed. The first synchronous census in India was held in 1881. Since then, censuses have been undertaken uninterruptedly once every 10 years. It is the biggest source of information on demographic, socioeconomic and other parameters of the entire population of India. According to officials, a mobile app for collection of data and a census portal for management and monitoring of various census-related activities has already been developed. The office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner had prepared around three dozen questions to be asked to the citizens. The questions include whether a family has a telephone, internet connection, mobile or smartphone, bicycle, scooter or motorcycle or moped and whether they own a car, jeep or a van. The citizens will be asked questions such as the kind of cereal they consume in the household, the main source of drinking water, the main source of lighting, access to latrine, type of latrine, wastewater outlet, availability of bathing facility, availability of kitchen and LPG/PNG connection, main fuel used for cooking and availability of radio, transistor and television. 'It's a positive development that the Census is finally going to start. My only concern is that since it is a caste-based Census, it should be carefully implemented. Population census should set up an expert committee to look into all the aspects related to castes,' said Sukhadeo Thorat, former chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Census to begin April 2026, caste to be part of survey
NEW DELHI: The Census exercise, put on hold over five years ago due to the Covid outbreak, may start on April 1, 2026, ending with the population count to be taken with the midnight of March 1, 2027 as the reference date. The caste of each resident of the country will be recorded, in a first since the decennial headcount of 1931, as part of the exercise, which potentially holds the key to two other decisions of far-reaching significance - delimitation and implementation of women's quota in legislatures. Sources in the home ministry said the Census - the first one to capture data digitally - will follow a schedule similar to Census 2011; it will be held in two phases - the houselisting phase to be conducted non-synchronously over a 45-day period across states and UTs anytime between April 1, 2026 and Sept 30, 2026; followed by the population enumeration phase, which will also record caste this time, between Feb 9 and 28, 2027. The population count will be recorded as on March 1, 2027, followed by a revisional round from March 1 and 5, 2027. The snow-bound areas of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and J&K, along with Ladakh, will undertake population enumeration six months before the rest of India, that is, sometime in Sept 2026, with the midnight of Oct 1, 2026, being their 'non-synchronous' reference date. With tech, census data to be out much faster than in past There was no clarity on whether National Population Register updation will be done along with the population enumeration phase, like it was done in 2011. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The intent to conduct Census after 15 years is bound to be welcomed by policymakers and beneficiaries alike. The exercise is an important data-source for delimitation and reservation of constituencies across all three tiers of govt. It provides a snapshot of the country's population at a given point of time and forms a critical input for planning and formulation of policy initiatives. Census tables also aid research in fields like demography, economics, anthropology, sociology etc. Since the upcoming Census will embrace the digital mode - with respondents free to self-enumerate or have the enumerators capture data on their phones or tablets through the Census app or portal - govt sources said the tables relating to various data fields captured will release much sooner than the earlier decadal counts involving a lag of 5-6 years. A senior functionary said caste data may be released in three years. However, it is unlikely that the caste count by itself will form the basis for reservation. Though a countrywide socio-economic caste census was done in 2011, it returned around 46 lakh castes, with inaccuracies that kept the data from being made public. In recent years, Bihar, Karnataka and Telangana have undertaken their own caste surveys. Census 2027 may also fulfil the condition set under the delimitation law, for being the basis for the next delimitation, which is crucial not only to decide the representation of states/UTs in Lok Sabha but also for implementing 33% reservation for women in LS and state assemblies. As per the law, the next delimitation exercise must be conducted based on the first Census to be undertaken after 2026, though no day or month has been specified. The home ministry on Wednesday said the notification regarding the intent to conduct Census 2027 will tentatively be issued on June 16. Refresher training of enumerators and Census staff may follow; sources did not rule out a fresh pre-test, last conducted in Aug-Sept 2019, in view of digitisation of the process and adding of new data fields like caste. Though only Rs 574 crore was allotted for Census - set to cost over Rs 13,000 crore, along with NPR updation - in 2025-26 Budget, govt sources said finding additional resources was not an issue. Five states/UTs - West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry - are due to go to the polls in May-June 2026 but will have the flexibility to choose a 45-day houselisting schedule anytime between April 1 and Sept 30 to avoid a clash.
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Gender gap in education persists in Rajasthan's Gambhira village amid deep-rooted patriarchy
Malarna Doongar (Sawai Madhopur) 'My both sons will get good jobs which will help our household while my wife would get a helping hand in house chores with two daughters,' said Sarita and Vinita's father, one of the residents of Gambhira which is one of the 77 villages in Malarna Doongar tehsil that reported the largest literacy gap between men and women in the 2011 census. While both sisters passed the school final with Arts stream from the local government senior secondary school after which they were never pushed for higher education, Kamlesh Meena's sons finished their schooling in Science stream from a prominent private school in Gambhira village. Vinod (25) is preparing for a government job and Deepak (16) is preparing for Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) in the Sawai Madhopur city. 'Dono beta achha kaam karega to ghar pe mera madat ho jayga. Par ladkiyon se keya ? Unki to shaadi karwana hi padega. Ab thodi padi-leekhi nahi hogi to ajkaal shaadi bhi nahi hoti hai !!' Kamlesh says whose elder daughter Vinita (22) is being married off to a government job aspirant next month while he is also finding a good match for the younger one, Sarita (21). 'I wanted them to study further. But, they were not much interested in study. We are not so rich that would send all the four children to private schools, and afford their higher education in the city. Yes, the private schools here are better and I sent my sons there. They would be able to earn good while my wife would get a helping hand in house chores with two daughters,' says Sarita and Vinita's father sitting at the front-step of his house wearing a white vest with reddish hair, hands on knee smiling like the most important man of the house. Gambhira is one of the 77 villages under the Malarna Doongar tehsil in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur. Data from the 2011 Census pegs this particular tehsil as the one in India that has the largest literacy gap between men and women. The average literacy is 60.79%. But 78.79% of the males are literate, with only 41.03% for women, a difference of 37.75 percentage points. In fact, an analysis of the top 5 tehsils with such a difference in India shows that all five are in Rajasthan, with three in Sawai Madhopur district alone. To be sure, there are districts with considerably lower literacy percentages for women, but those typically --some are tribal districts in Chhattisgarh -- have correspondingly low percentages for male literacy as well. In terms of districts with such a large difference in literacy rates between men and women, it is also clear that Rajasthan has a problem. Eight of the top 10 districts (with Sawai Madhopur the highest) are in the state. The only two exceptions in the top 10 are Ramban in Jammu, and Nuh in Haryana. Meanwhile, Rajasthan's overall gap between male and female literacy rate was 27.07% with the former having 79.19% and the latter having 52.12%, as per the Census 2011. Though the latest sex ratio of literacy is yet not available due to lack of a further census, the number of girls going to the schools have been increased consistently over the years, indicating a possible growth in women's literacy rate as well, as per the ASER report analysis over the last few years. But the rising trend of the Indian parents preferring to send boys to private schools for a better education and choosing government schools for girls who 'should be married off by 20s' makes it clear that there is a long road to emancipation. It also raises questions on the quality of education and other facilities being provided in the government institutions over the years- particularly the ones in the rural areas- where the schools lack some basic facilities such as sufficient classrooms, teaching staff, and science faculty and labs. Gambhira government senior secondary school (which is also the only school in the village) where Vinita and Sarita studied from has currently 157 girls and 86 boys. On the other hand, the private school, Rising Star English School, located in Bhadoti, two kilometres from the village, from where their brothers have finished their education has 249 boys and 151 girls. 'There are about 15 to 20 such private schools in our vicinity where most of the children from Gambhira and five to six nearby villages take admission. The fees is pretty high which goes around ₹40,000 to ₹50,000 yearly. But a good education is worth it. Governemnt school mere beton ko manners nahi seekha sakta hai, science nahi pada sakta hai,' says Pappulal Meena, a local farmer, who took some loans to afford his sons- Anuj (8) and Jemal (9)'s education. 'Look at the children in the cities. Why are they so smart ? Because, they studied in the private English medium schools. Even the government schools in the cities are way better than the ones in the villages. If you want your sons to do something well in their life, have to ensure they get a similar quality of education,' Pappulal pats Anuj's back to encourage him. For the two little boys, their cousin, Uday (21), is an idol who has not only finished his education from another local private school, Shreeram Vidyapeeth, with Science stream, but later also left for Jaipur to pursue a Bachelor of Sceinces in Nursing. However, Pappulal has planned to send his elder daughter Puja (17) to a government college in Sawai Madhopur after her upcoming board exam and then get her married off by the time she turns 20. 'If she wants to do any job, that's good. But there is norm in the village that the girls should be married off by 20s,' he says. Puja, too, studied in the same private school, where Uday studied, till Class IV but later was admitted to the government school as her father was not able to afford private school education for all his children. So, Papulal chose his sons to continue in private schools while Puja was transferred to the government one. She did not answer any question about her ambition about her future, whether she likes to study, or is willing to marry after graduation. Only, a shy smile was visible on her face. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024, which covered 26 states and 2 union territories of India comprising 605 rural districts with 17,997 villages, and 649,491 school-going children, recorded that the girls, at every level (Primary, Secondary, and Senior Secondary), dominated the enrolment in government schools more than boys while the fact is vice versa in private schools. For age 7-10 years, against 70.7% girls enrolled in government schools, there were only 64.3% boys. This was just opposite in private institutions where against 33.8% boys there were 27.4% girls for the children of same age. Similarly, for age 11 to 14 years, some 69.6% girls were enrolled in government schools against 63.4% boys. Whereas in private schools 34.1% boys go to private schools against 27.5% girls indicating that parents prefer private school for boys and government schools for their daughters. The corresponding figure for the 15 to 16 years age group is 62.4% girls in government schools against 57.9% boys and 33.8% boys in private schools against only 28.9% girls. A further classification of the ASER data for particularly Rajasthan showed that 62.5% girls of 7 to 10 years age against 52.4% boys, 68.3% girls of 11 to 14 years of age against 56.6% boys, and 65.7% girls of 15 to 16 years of age against 58.2% boys were enrolled to the government schools in 2023-24 session. The corresponding gender-comparison of the enrolment across the state's private schools were only 35.4% girls of 7 to 10 years of age against 46.4% boys, 27.9% girls of 11 to 14 years of age against 41.5% boys, and 21.7% girls of 15 to 16 years of age against 31.9% boys. 'Government school here is not bad though. We all studied there since our childhood. I also firmly believe that she should complete her graduation. But neither I could afford all my children's education in the private school nor she wasn't interested in Science that it was a compulsion,' Pappulal says. But interest in Sciences for the girls students also does not mean that they would be sent to the private schools or be allowed to make a career before getting married. 'Mathematics is my favourite subject. But, my school doesn't have sciences facility. My parents won't send me to private school. They said, it's not safe for me to travel so far daily,' Seema (14) smiles, who is studying in Class VIII in Government Senior Secondary School in Jolanda, another village under Malarna Doongar. A total 130 girls study in this school against only 87 boys. Seema's elder cousin, Kuldeep, however, goes to Shreeram Vidyapith despite study with Arts subjects. This school has 115 boys against only 45 boys. Science stream remains elusive to students in all the senior secondary schools across the panchayats under Malarna Doongar tehsil in Sawai Madhopur district. In many secondary schools, art teachers are assigned to science subjects in junior classes, thereby depriving the girl students of quality education. Despite high enrolment rate in these government schools, lack of adequate faculty strength continues to plague the education system in the area. The sorry state of affairs was further confirmed when the state government recently said in the assembly that students prefer private schools than government institutions due to faculty crisis in science and commerce streams. On February 6, in response to a question by BJP MLA Lalit Meena, the education department said, 'The science and commerce departments are not available in the government higher secondary schools in at least 11,304 panchayats across the state, while the science subject is available in 2,394 private higher secondary schools and commerce in another 1,189 such private schools in the same panchayats.' 'In view of such situation, the students seem to be pursuing admission in the private ones instead of the government schools - particularly in higher classes,' the response added. And surveys have already showed that a major chunk of these 'students' are only boys, not girls. The famous private institute in these villages, Rising Star English School, which was founded in 2018 only, boasts 28 classrooms, at least 40 teachers, a large science lab, and a regular school bus facilities. They also run a monthly home-to-home outreach programme for the parents to apprise them about the significance of their children's education. Admitting the factors, principal of Jolanda Government Senior Secondary School Prabhu Lal Meena said, 'These challenges might not be a barrier to provide good education, but makes a huge gap between the government schools and private schools. The villagers, yet view the girls as the families' burden and don't want to spend much on their education. Hence, they are sent to the government set-ups for free education. But the boys are considered assets of the family and they are sent to private schools that cost a substantial annual fee. It's true that most of these girls never pursue any higher education after completing school and are often married off in a few years.' However, Laxmi Chand Meena, principal of the Rising Star English School, said that they reach out to parents of girl students as well but it only depends on the villagers' mindset. 'Our fees structure is precisely unlike the government schools and parents usually don't want to spend much on girls. But, we have yet a very small number of students despite the enrolment rate increasing every year. It is not possible for us to come up with any special programme to enrol more girls or run a complete girls' school. But we definitely want the girls to come to our schools in larger number to pursue quality education, which is mandatory for their future, and which the government schools are unable to provide,' he added. Commenting on the development, the chief block education officer (CBEO) of Malarna Doongar, Muhammed Zakir, said, 'This trend have been prevalent in the area for the last seven to 10 years that the parents prefer to send the boys to private schools. But, they need to understand that the private schools only focus on the academics while the government schools provide a comprehensive education. As girls' enrolment is more in government schools, we also organise several programmes targeting girls such as self-defence classes at the police stations and library set-ups at the panchayats, and also a book discussion session every fortnight.' However, he confessed that the lack of teaching staff and proper infrastructure are the major reasons that fail to provide a similar environment and education to girls as the boys get in private schools. 'Seven years ago, science stream was approved in two schools under Malarna Doongar. However, they are yet to get started as the faculty and funds for the lab facilities and books were not alloted. The government is considering it again, but so far it was not listed in the budget,' Zakir said. He added, 'Yet, we think, the situation is slowly getting better. The parents who never used to consider to send the girls to schools, are at least planning to get their school final completed before their marriage. Some of them are also sending them to the college. We are constantly doing a lot awareness programme and hopefully, this mindset and reservation about the girls' education will change more in near future.'
Indian Express
02-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
SECC of 2011: When caste data was collected but not published
The most recent data on the populations of individual castes and tribes in India were collected between 2011 and 2013 as part of the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC), 2011, an exercise that followed the Census of 2011. The SECC collected data on a range of parameters, parts of which were published in 2016. But the data on caste populations, other than the total numbers of SCs and STs, was not made public. The wartime Census of 1941 collected data on individual castes, which were, however, not released. Censuses in independent India have never collected disaggregated caste data. As such, the most recent publicly available data on caste populations at the national level are from the 1931 Census, which will serve as the baseline for the caste data that the government has now decided to collect as part of the upcoming, pandemic-delayed Census 2021. SECC 2011 & Census 2011 SECC 2011 was a study of socio-economic status of rural and urban households, and allowed the ranking of households based on predefined parameters. The Union Ministry of Rural Development began the SECC on June 29, 2011 through a nationwide door-to-door enumeration exercise. It was mainly carried out in 2011 and 2012, but in a few states, enumeration and verification went on until 2013. The data, which were to be used for policy, research, and the implementation of various development programs, were compiled from 24 lakh enumeration blocks, each containing around 125 households. The caste census was under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Registrar General of India (RGI) and Census Commissioner of India. Census 2011 was carried out before the SECC, between February 9 and February 28, 2011. Personal data collected in the population Census are confidential. But all personal information in SECC is open for use by government departments to grant and/ or restrict benefits to households. Questions in exercises COMMON QUESTIONS: Many questions were common to the Household Schedule of the population Census — which collects data on broad demographic characteristics and economic activities of households and their members — and SECC 2011. These included questions on gender, marital status, religion, literacy, date of birth, and relationship to the head of the family. However, the SECC 2011 sought some additional specific details on economic conditions. (See below) HOUSEHOLD SCHEDULE: The questionnaire for the Household Schedule in Census 2011 had 29 questions. They sought information on mother tongue, other languages known, migration characteristics and reasons for migration, surviving children (daughters and sons), children ever born alive, and number of children born alive over the previous year, among other things. DISABILITY & ILLNESS: The questionnaire for the Household Schedule only asked about disability. The SECC sought more details on the nature of the disability — sight, hearing, speech, movement, mental retardation, mental illness, multiple disability, other disability — as also additional information about diseases such as cancer, TB, and leprosy. Specific caste groups The Household Schedule 2011 asked if the person belonged to a Scheduled Caste (SC) or a Scheduled Tribe (ST), but not the name of the caste or tribe within the larger SC/ ST tent. It did not ask respondents if they belonged to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) or to the 'general category'. The SECC sought disaggregated details of caste. It asked for the respondents' 'Caste/ Tribe Status', choosing from 'SC' (Code 1), 'ST' (Code 2), 'Other' (Code 3), and 'No Caste/ Tribe' (Code 4), and for the 'Name of Caste/ Tribe' if the respondent belonged to any of the first three categories. The SECC clarified that 'SC can be only among the Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists', while 'ST can be from any'. This follows from a Government Order from 1990, which says: 'No person who professes a religion different from the Hindu, the Sikh or the Buddhist religion shall be deemed to be a member of Scheduled Caste.' Additional details in SECC ECONOMIC STATUS: The SECC asked for information on housing/ dwelling, such as ownership and the predominant material of wall and roof (grass/ bamboo/ wood/ mud/ brick/ stone, etc). It also collected information on household amenities such as the source of drinking water and lighting (electricity/ kerosene/ solar etc), latrines, waste water outlets, and availability of a separate kitchen, and on assets such as refrigerator, telephone/ mobile phone, computer, motorised vehicles, ACs, and washing machines. IN URBAN AREAS: The SECC sought the names of both father and mother, and main source of income — from begging/ ragpicking to street vending; domestic, construction, shop, transport, etc work; to 'non-work' (pension/ rent/ interest) and no income. IN RURAL AREAS: The SECC sought to know if any member in a household belonged to a primitive tribal group, was a legally released bonded labourer, or a manual scavenger. It collected details of the main source of household income — cultivation, manual casual labourer, foraging, begging, etc — and of land ownership and availability of mechanised agricultural equipment, etc.
