Census, Population & Demographics Module
Census History & Methodology in India
The decennial Census of India is one of the largest administrative and demographic data exercises in the world. The first non-synchronous population count was conducted in 1872 under Viceroy Lord Mayo, followed by the first complete, synchronous census in 1881 supervised by W.C. Plowden. Post-independence, the census gained statutory backing under the Census Act of 1948. Administered by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs, census operations follow a two-phase methodology: House Listing and Housing Census, followed by Population Enumeration, capturing critical socio-economic parameters.
Key Concepts & Examination Highlights
- The first modern census in India was conducted non-synchronously in 1872 during the tenure of Viceroy Lord Mayo.
- The first complete and synchronous decennial census of India was carried out in 1881 under Census Commissioner W.C. Plowden.
- The statutory framework for conducting decennial censuses in independent India is governed by the Census Act of 1948, introduced by Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
- The Census of India is organized by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Curriculum & Reference Sources: Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India (ORGI), Ministry of Home Affairs, and Census Act 1948.