2021 Census of India

The 2021 Census of India, also the 16th Indian Census, will be taken in 2021. The 15th Indian Census taken in 2011, attempted to estimate the population based on Socio-Economic and Caste Status for the first time since 1931. However, as the enumeration was based on recording the respondents' declaration, it led to creation of hundreds of thousands of caste/subcaste categories. For the 16th Indian census, the government is instead considering enumeration based on a list of OBCs notified by each state.[1]

16th Census of India
2020–2021
Our Census, Our Future
General information
CountryIndia

In April 2019, a data user conference was held and it was announced that 330,000 enumerators will be enlisted and that they would be encouraged to use their own smart phones, although a paper option will also be available, which the enumerators will then need to submit electronically. It was further announced that house listing will be conducted between April and September 2020, with actual enumeration in February 2021 and a revision round in March. The reference date will be 1 March 2021 in most of the country and 1 October 2020 for Jammu and Kashmir and some areas of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.[2]

In September 2019, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had stated that the 2021 national census would be held fully digitally through a mobile phone application.[3] 2021 census will be carried out in 16 languages. In February 2021, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman confirmed in her budget speech that 2021 census will be first ever digital census in India.[4] The Finance Minister allocated ₹ 3,768 crore for carrying out the census in 2021 Union budget of India.[5] It has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India.[6]

Caste Enumeration in Census

In September 2018, the then Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, announced that the 2021 census will have Other Backward Class (OBC) data, for the first time since the 1931 census.[7] Despite this announcement, the questionnaire presented in July 2019 did not have a specific OBC category.[8] Several state legislative assemblies passed resolutions for collecting OBC data including the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly[9] Odisha Legislative Assembly[10] and Bihar Legislative Assembly,[11] while the government of Uttar Pradesh, rejected the opposition's demand to pass such a resolution.[12] On 29 February 2020, central government refused to conduct caste census despite demands from states.[13] Despite Centre's rejection, Maharashtra legislators were adamant for caste based census at least in the state.[14] Protest march in support of OBC census was carried out in Jammu and Kashmir.[15] Minister of State Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale also demanded carrying of census counting every single caste in India.[16]

NPR

National Population Register will be linked to this census with preparations beginning from April 2020.[17][18] NPR will be conducted along with the first phase of Census between April to September 2020.[19][20]

References
  1. "Move afoot to collect OBC data afresh in Census 2021". The Times of India. 9 January 2019.
  2. "Census 2021 will be done via mobile app, says officials". The New Indian Express. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  3. "Digital Census In 2021; Amit Shah Proposes Idea Of Multipurpose ID Card".
  4. "2021 census to go digital".
  5. "Budget 2021: Census to go digital for the first time with Rs 3,768 crore allocation".
  6. "Government likely to postpone census to 2022".
  7. "Census 2021 to collect OBC data, first since 1931". The Economic Times. 1 September 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  8. Tripathi, Rahul (31 July 2019). "Despite promise, no OBC category yet in census 2021". The Economic Times. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  9. ,"Maharashtra Assembly passes resolution seeking caste-based Census". India Today. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  10. World, Republic. "Odisha Assembly passes Amendment Bill identifying socially backward classes". Republic World. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  11. "Bihar assembly passes resolution for caste-based Census in 2021". Deccan Herald. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  12. Pioneer, The. "UP govt rejects demand for caste-based census". The Pioneer. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  13. Ghildiyal, Subodh. "Govt rebuffs plea on Census caste data". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  14. "Despite Centre's rejection, Maharashtra legislators unite to press for separate census for OBCs". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  15. "Protest rally taken out for implementation of central reservation policy". Daily Excelsior. 4 March 2020.
  16. Botekar, Abhilash. "Athawale calls for caste-based census". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  17. Awasthi, Prashasti. "Preparations for census 2021, NPR update to begin from April 1: Ministry". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  18. "No training being imparted for NPR exercise: Punjab government". The Hindu. Special Correspondent. 7 March 2020. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 March 2020.CS1 maint: others (link)
  19. Singh, Vijaita (2 March 2020). "34 queries in Census 2020 form". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  20. Sudhi, K. s (26 February 2020). "Census authorities for updating NPR in State". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 March 2020.


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