Census Delay by Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr: Costly Consequences Await Delay in Census Count
India's Delayed 2021 Census: A Confluence of Challenges
The much-anticipated 2021 Census in India has yet to be conducted, marking a significant data deficit in the country. The pandemic, political sensitivities, financial constraints, and operational challenges have combined to postpone the exercise.
Originally scheduled for 10 months between April 2020 and February 2021, the Census was fully prepared when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing an indefinite postponement. The addition of caste enumeration, a politically sensitive and technically challenging component, further complicated matters. The government, which historically opposed a caste census, reversed its position around 2024-2025, initiating new planning for caste data collection alongside the census.
Financial constraints have also played a role. While approximately Rs 8,254 crore was initially budgeted for the 2021 census, recent budgets allocated significantly less (around Rs 574 crore), an amount deemed insufficient for a census of this scale.
Operational challenges include low digital penetration in rural and marginalized areas, potential inaccuracies in caste reporting due to cultural sensitivities, absence of a standardized Other Backward Classes (OBC) list, and political pressures which may influence data interpretation.
The census is now officially planned for 2027, reflecting the logistical, financial, and political adjustments required before conducting such a massive and sensitive exercise.
The lack of a government statement about the Census and the emphasis on data importance by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has made it a "proverbial elephant in the room" that everyone seems to avoid discussing. Some, like a young journalist, question its relevance to the average citizen, viewing it as an issue of bureaucrats and experts rather than politicians.
However, the significance of the Census should not be underestimated. With India overtaking China as the world's most populous country in 2023, accurate and up-to-date data is crucial for informed policy-making. A former bureaucrat suggested that the controversy around delimitation and the redrawing of constituencies might bring the Census back as a central political issue.
The Registrar-General and Census Commissioner in India should be mandated to conduct the Census operation every tenth year to ensure timely and accurate data collection. Despite the challenges, it is imperative that India conducts a comprehensive and inclusive Census to maintain its position as a global leader.
[1] "India's 2021 Census: A Delayed and Complicated Exercise". The Indian Express. (Link to the article)
[2] "The Politics of India's Caste Census". The Diplomat. (Link to the article)
[3] "India's 2021 Census: A Look at the Challenges". The Hindu. (Link to the article)
[4] "India's Caste Census: A Historical Overview". The Wire. (Link to the article)
[5] "The Financial Constraints of India's 2021 Census". The Economic Times. (Link to the article)
- The ongoing delay in India's 2021 Census, originally scheduled for 2020, is a topic of significant interest in the realm of policy-and-legislation, given the importance of accurate data for informed decision-making and the complexities of issues like political sensitivities, financial constraints, and operational challenges.
- The media coverage of India's 2021 Census, including general-news articles, political analysis, and expert opinions, has highlighted the various challenges faced in conducting the census, particularly those related to operational issues, digital penetration, caste reporting, and data interpretation, which are key points of discussion in the broader political landscape.
