Why in news
- The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India issued instructions to States regarding the second phase of Census operations.
- The directive mandates gender sensitisation and strict accuracy standards for field enumerators.
Key terms
Registrar General of India
The statutory authority under the Ministry of Home Affairs responsible for conducting Population Census and Vital Statistics.
Institutional Framework of Census
- Census in India is conducted under the Census Act, 1948 by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
- The Registrar General functions under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Key Directives Issued
- Mandates incorporation of gender sensitisation modules in enumerator training to eliminate bias during field data collection.
- Requires enumerators to strictly record responses without personal assumptions to minimize margin of error.
Why it matters
- Accurate demographic and gender data is critical for targeted policy formulation, fiscal allocations, and electoral delimitation.
- Ensures data integrity during digital and paper-based enumerations across Union and State administrative units.
Prelims facts
- Census is a Subject in the Union List (Entry 69) under the Constitution of India.
Mains discussion
- Importance of precise demographic data collection for social justice and public policy.
Source: The Hindu
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.