New Census rules allow citizens to self-enumerate online

Recently, union government has notified New Census rules allow citizens to self-enumerate online.

About new notification:

• The Centre had announced the amendment to the Census rules in 2020, but notified it in the Gazette.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs has modified the rules to include the terms “electronic form” and “self-enumeration”.
• The amendment has been inserted in clause C of Rule 2, which deals with definitions.
• Without prejudice to any other provisions of these rules, a person may fill-up, complete and submit the census schedule through self-enumeration.
• The government defined self-enumeration as ‘filling-up, completion and submission of census schedule by respondents themselves’.
• The Census and updating of the National Population Register were scheduled to be held between April and September 2020 but had been postpone indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• The Census, when conducted, would the country’s first-ever digital one. 
• The original method of Census through house visits will also be held along with the option for self-enumeration.
• In a separate amendment to Rule 5 of the Census rules, which deals with publishing of the Census statistics, the term “media” has been replaced with “electronic or any other media”.
• The Centre has also inserted the phrase “print media, electronic media, social media” after “radio” while mentioning means for publicity of the Census.

About National Population Register (NPR):

• The objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country. The database would contain demographic as well as biometric particulars.
• It is being prepared at the local (Village/sub-Town), sub-District, District, State and National level under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.
• It is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR.
• A usual resident is defined for the purposes of NPR as a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more.

About Census:

• Census includes the total process of collecting, compiling, analyzing, evaluating, publishing and disseminating statistical data regarding the population and its characteristics.
• Population characteristics include demographic, social and economic data and are provided as of a particular date (reference period).
• Census provides detailed information on economic activity, literacy and education, housing and household amenities, urbanisation, fertility and mortality, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, language, religion, migration, disability and many other socio-cultural and demographic data.
• Post 1949, it has been conducted by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• All the censuses since 1951 were conducted under the 1948 Census of India Act.
• The last census was held in 2011.