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Census of India to Begin in 2025

Last updated on October 29th, 2024 Posted on October 29, 2024 by NEXT IAS Current Affairs Team  570

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity and Governance

Context

  • The government plans to begin the long-delayed Census in 2025, which will be followed by delimitation of Lok Sabha seats.

About

  • The census, typically conducted every ten years to update the National Population Register (NPR), was scheduled for 2021 but had to be postponed due to the Covid pandemic. 
  • The delimitation of constituencies for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies is to be carried out on the basis of the first Census after 2026.

Census in India

  • A census is a survey of the population of an area that includes collecting details of a country’s demographics including age, sex and occupation.
  • History: Under W.C. Plowden, the Census Commissioner of India, the first synchronous decennial (every ten years) census was conducted in 1881.
    • Independent India’s first census was held in 1951 and since then it has happened in the first year of every decade.
  • The Constitution mandates that enumeration is carried out but the Census of India Act of 1948 does not specify its timing or periodicity.
  • The population census is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Need for the Census

  • Accurate Population Data: A reliable population count is fundamental for planning and managing various national and state projects, from healthcare to infrastructure.
  • Socio-Economic Insights: Census data on literacy, income, occupation, and housing conditions highlights social challenges and allows for targeted interventions.
  • Evaluating Development Progress: Comparing census data over decades helps assess the effectiveness of past policies, guiding future strategies.
  • Environmental Planning: The Census provides insights into human settlements and demographic pressures, supporting environmental sustainability efforts.

Benefits of Census

  • Informed Policy Making: The Census provides detailed socio-economic data, helping the government make informed decisions on issues like education, healthcare, housing, employment, and infrastructure.
  • Resource Allocation: Accurate population data ensures fair distribution of resources across states, especially in sectors like public health, education, and welfare.
  • Electoral Reforms and Delimitation: Census data directly impacts the delimitation of constituencies, ensuring fair representation in Parliament and State Legislatures.

Way Ahead

  • Updated Data for Post-Covid Recovery: Since the last Census was in 2011, population dynamics have shifted, making updated data essential to address changes in economic and social structures.
  • Delimitation Requirements: With the delimitation process slated post-2026, it’s crucial to have accurate, current population data to ensure fair representation based on updated demographics.
What is Delimitation?
– Delimitation refers to the process of fixing the number of seats and boundaries of territorial constituencies in each State for the Lok Sabha and Legislative assemblies. 
1. It also includes determining the seats to be reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in these houses. 
– Article 82 and 170 of the Indian Constitution provide that the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative assemblies as well as its division into territorial constituencies shall be readjusted after each Census. 
– This process is performed by the ‘Delimitation Commission’ that is set up under an act of Parliament. 
Delimitation in the Past
– The number of seats in the Lok Sabha based on the 1951, 1961 and 1971 Census was fixed at 494, 522 and 543.
– However, it has been frozen as per the 1971 Census in order to encourage population control measures so that States with higher population growth do not end up having higher number of seats. 
– This was done through the 42nd Amendment Act till the year 2000 and was extended by the 84th Amendment Act till 2026. 
– The boundaries of territorial constituencies were readjusted (without changing the number of seats) and seats for SC and ST were determined as per the 2001 Census and will again be carried out after 2026.

Source: Mint

 
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