No population Census — in the dark without vital data

The Indian decadal Census has been delayed by more than three years now despite several concerns having been raised about the consequences of not having a Census. In fact, there is an overwhelming misconception among officials on substituting the Census with alternative ways and means of counting the population.

The Census is not limited to offer a population count. It includes a wide range of locational, familial and individual information that serves to understand the changing population dynamic in its entirety. The first and foremost limitation of avoiding a Census lies in the reliability of all our large-scale surveys such as National Family Health Survey and Periodic Labour Force Survey carried out on a Census frame that is one and a half decades old.