Census 2027 | Journey of India’s 1.5 billion headcount

Published: September 01, 2026 From 1951 to 2026, India’s Census has evolved from a simple headcount into a comprehensive data reservoir covering citizens’ living conditions, health and education Scroll to unveil Over ninety-six crore Indians voted in India’s seven-phase general elections to elect the 18th Lok Sabha. As the world witnessed the largest electorate vote, concerns over the delayed census marred the polling exercise. For the past five years, the Modi government has postponed the decennial process eight times, initially citing COVID-19. However, in April this year, the Centre finally announced India’s first digital census which will be conducted in two phases – House-listing (April to September 2026) and Population enumeration (February 2027), including a caste census – a first since 1931. India’s population, census after census (in crore) India’s census population by year Census yearPopulation 195136.1 crore 196143.9 crore 197154.8 crore 198168.3 crore 199184.6 crore 2001102.9 crore 2011121.1 crore (1.21 billion) Seven censuses have been conducted in Independent India from 1951 to 2011 with each leaving a profound impact on understanding India’s changing demography, its citizens’ health, education, socio-economic conditions and employment. Through this interactive article, you will explore the mammoth preparation and survey done in the enumeration of India’s citizens and the significance of the findings that every decade has revealed. This is the story of India’s rising head-count and its implications via the documented articles of The Hindu in its newspaper pages since 1951. 1951 Independent India’s first census The 1951 Census was the first one to be conducted after India gained Independence, throwing off the shackles of British rule after 89 years. Tallying 361.8 million (36.18 crore), India’s population saw an increase of 42 million in the past decade. It was also the first decennial census to be held after the passage of the Census Act, 1948. A commemorative silver medal minted during the first Census of India in 1951. Each medal cost between Rs. 13 and 16 to produce. Photo courtesy Mandira Moddie The enumeration exercise The data collection by the enumerators was done between February 9 and March 1 and over 307 districts across all States and Union Territories of India were covered. Highlighting the importance of their task, the then Home Minister C. Rajagopalachari, in an All India Radio (AIR) broadcast on February 1, told enumerators, “Like a swarm of bees that build a beautiful hive according to the laws of geometry, each doing its part in obedience to a mystic urge, you should do your part according to conscience and the sense of truth inherent in us all.” ‘First Census of free India: Home Minister’s appeal to enumerators’, The Hindu, February 2, 1951 Events such as the Second World War, India’s Independence and Partition marred the decade and hence the questions centered around citizens’ economic status, migration/displacement, fertility, farm land ownership, and infirmities. February 9 – March 1, 1951 Nearly six lakh enumerators 307 districts All States and Union Territories Census of firsts Apart from being the first national Census to be governed by the Census Act, 1948, the 1951 enumeration was also the first in which village and town-level data was published for 307 districts. A uniform format was followed for the data collection using District Census Handbooks and a sample verification survey was conducted prior to the post-enumeration survey – a historic first. The questionnaire too carried optional questions for the newly integrated states regarding fertility, unemployment, indigenous persons, infirmities, cultivated land, job search, marriage and family. Milestones First Census conducted under the Census Act, 1948 First publication of village- and town-level data for all districts District Census Handbooks introduced in a uniform format First sample verification survey before post-enumeration checks Expanded questionnaire covering migration, fertility, unemployment, indigenous communities, cultivated land, infirmities, marriage and family Results of survey After one-and-a-half months, the Provisional Population Totals were published on April 14, 1951. ‘Population of India estimated at 361.8 million’, read The Hindu’s headline with a sub-heading ‘13 per cent rise in ten years’. The most populous state was Uttar Pradesh (63 million), followed by Madras (57 million), Bihar (40 million) and Bombay (36 million). Delhi’s population too had soared to 17 lakh, an increase of eight lakh over the previous decade owing mainly to the influx of refugees. ‘Population of India estimated at 361.8 million’, The Hindu, April 16, 1951 The total number of displaced persons was 7.5 million and the female population in India as a whole in 1951 was exactly ten million less than that of the males. Census was not taken in Jammu and Kashmir, covering an area of 32,250 square miles, owing to special conditions prevailing there. The population of Jammu and Kashmir was estimated at 4.37 million as of 1951. Census was also not conducted tribal areas of Assam (mentioned in Part B), however estimates of the tribal population in that area was pegged at 5,60,000. The total land area covered by the census was 1,138,814 square miles. India’s population per square mile was 296 persons which was much denser population in comparison to neighbours Pakistan (210), China (129), Russia (23), United States (50), Brazil (15) and France (193) but less dense than erstwhile ruler United Kingdom (536) and other nations like Japan (579) and Germany (506). Key Findings Population 361.8 million 42 million Population / sq. km 296 Gender Ratio 946 Literacy 18.33% Male literacy 27.16% Female literacy 8.86% Highest vs lowest % increase in population Impact & analysis The Hindu’s analysis of the census revealed that Delhi had the lowest sex ratio in the country – 751 females for every 1,000 males. “Travancore-Cochin, Madras, Orissa, Kutch and Manipur are the only States where the female population exceeds the male population. For every 1,000 males, Travancore-Cochin has 1,007 females, Madras 1,004 females, Orissa 1,023, Kutch 1,077 and Manipur 1,034,” read the article. It also noted, “In Travancore-Cochin, compared to the 1941 census, the ratio of female population to the male population shows a tendency to increase—1,007 compared to 1,002 in 1941, but in respect of Madras, Orissa, Kutch and Manipur, it shows a downward tendency”. Similarly, an upward trend was also noticed in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Hyderabad, PEPSU, Rajasthan, Saurashtra, Ajmer, Bilaspur, Coorg, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, while Bihar’s sex ratio remained stationary. In terms of population increase in the past decade, Delhi ranked highest showing a 90% increase while Punjab showed the least with 0.4%. While states like Bombay (21.8%), Mysore (23.8%) and Coorg (35.5%) showed a substantial increase, in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, there had been a decrease in population by 8.3%. Analysing the count, The Hindu reasoned that Punjab, West Bengal and PEPSU showed less growth as they had been greatly affected by partition and the movement of refugee population and hence it was difficult to assess the exact significance of the figures. However, Census Commissioner Mr. B. A. Gopalaswami posited that birth and death rates during the two decades and possible errors in census operations would have to be taken into account for the low growth. What the numbers revealed Delhi recorded the country’s lowest sex ratio - 751 females per 1,000 males Travancore-Cochin was among the few states where women outnumbered men Delhi also witnessed the highest decadal population growth (90%), driven largely by refugee migration Punjab recorded the lowest growth (0.4%), reflecting the disruption caused by Partition 1961 India’s demography gets a shape ‘Free India’s Second Census’ read The Hindu’s editorial on February 10, 1961 as enumerators prepared for the three-week counting exercise of India’s population. ‘Free India’s Second Census’, The Hindu, February 10, 1961 The second census was aimed to aid Centre’s economic planning ahead of the Third Five-year Plan, focusing on employment, housing and availability of skilled personnel. India’s population stood at 438 million with a 21.48% rise in the past decade. The enumeration exercise Data collection kicked off on February 10 and concluded on March 1, leaving five days for the revisional round. Staff were drawn from various offices of the Union and State Governments as well as Corporations to assist enumerators in doing door-to-door surveys. An enumerator is seen busy with the hut dwellers in Ayanavaram Milk Colony, Madras in connection with the census campaign on February 11, 1961. Mr. Sulaiman, the Assistant Superintendent of census operation watches the work. Photo: The Hindu Archives About 25 questions were asked to citizens under the ‘individual slip’ related to the head of the family, sex, age last birthday, birth-place, duration of residence if born elsewhere, marital status, nationality, religion, literacy and education, mother tongue and knowledge of any other language. Inquiries of individuals also included household industry, nature of trade, service, employees in the establishment. Madras enumerators allowed citizens to answer ‘rationalism’ as their chosen religion. The state offered the individual slips in five languages – English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. The final check-up enumerated the homeless and people staying in hotels and lodging houses. February 10 – March 1, 1961 The Individual Slip collected information on: Age and sex Birthplace and migration Marital status Religion and nationality Literacy and education Mother tongue and other languages Occupation and employment Census work in Madras City commenced February 10, 1961 and the first to be enumerated was the Governor of Madras Bishnuram Medhi at the Raj Bhavan. The Governor is seen answering the questionnaire while Mr. P. K. Nambiar, Superintendent of Census Operations, is noting down the responses. Photo: The Hindu Archives Census of firsts The 1961 census was the first one in which house listing and the condition of such houses were undertaken forming the basis for modern-day concepts of building, households and house census. The enumeration was also the first which had three separate lists - (a) household schedule, (b) the individual slip and (c) the census population record. As the economic planning was in focus, the census results also published data on category of occupation, employment along with comparison to the previous decade. Several monograph series volumes and the Census Atlas was also published for the first time. Milestones First nationwide house-listing programme First systematic collection of housing conditions Introduction of three separate schedules: Household Schedule, Individual Slip, & Census Population Record First Census Atlas and thematic monograph series Expanded employment and occupational classification for development planning Results of survey “India’s Population 438 Million,” declared The Hindu’s article on March 28, with a sub-heading “Lowest Rate of Rise in Madras State”. The increase in population in ten years for the whole country was 21.49% and the census was not complete in areas like Manipur, North-East Frontier Agency, Nagaland and Sikkim. Bhutan was not included as part of India. ‘India’s population 438 million’, The Hindu, March 28, 1961 States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Madras, Mysore, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh registered increases below the country’s average, while all others registered increases above the country’s average. Assam showed the biggest increase (34.3%), followed by West Bengal (32.94%). Madras recorded the smallest increase (11.73%). On the whole, India’s population density was 384 persons per square mile – a marginal increase from 316 ten years ago. The sex ratio dropped from 946 in 1951 to 940 in 1961 and literacy had risen by 7.1% to 23.7%. Key Findings Population 438 million 78.1 million Population / sq. km 384 Gender Ratio 940 Literacy 28.30% Male literacy 40.4% Female literacy 15.35% Highest vs lowest % increase in population Impact & analysis On March 30, Hindu’s editorial titled ‘Our mounting millions’, stated that ‘the 1961 census had confounded all seven earlier estimates based on projections of the 1951 figures’. The Planning Commission’s estimates had pegged the 1961 census estimates at 408 million but the census data revealed India’s population to be at 431 million. Highlighting the actual growth of population to be higher in the previous decades than estimated, The Hindu’s editorial reasoned, “The population which the Second Plan had estimated to go up to 50 crores (500 million) by 1976, may well reach before the ‘Sixties are out”. Calling for far-reaching changes in economic plans and social policies, the editorial also highlighted the non-uniform growth in population in the states – specially in Assam (34.30) and West Bengal (32.94) where an ‘abnormal increase’ is seen beyond the national average. Registrar General Mr. Asok Mitra claimed that the beyond average increase in Assam was explained by the ‘immigration of labour into plantations, mines, oil areas, railway projects and road projects as well as immigration of both communities from East Pakistan’. Bengal’s increase was due to the ‘acknowledged influx of displaced persons from East Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal and other places’, specially in industrial hubs like Asansol, Durgapur, Damodar Valley and Mayurakshi basins. Eleven out of fifteen major states gave ‘a picture of a basin rapidly filling up, not only in the depressions like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, or Rajasthan, but even in the rim like Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Maharashtra and the Punjab’. The editorial questioned if the ‘surplus population’ was migrating to less populous region due to the government’s development programmes. However, rural population comprised 82.16% of the total, which meant that ‘despite urbanisation, pressure on land continues to be as high as ever’, explained The Hindu. ‘Our mounting millions’, The Hindu, March 30, 1961 What the numbers revealed The Census showed India was growing much faster than planners had anticipated Population exceeded official projections by nearly 30 million Literacy improved by 7.1 percentage points over 1951 The sex ratio declined from 946 to 940 females per 1,000 males More than 82% of Indians still lived in rural areas despite increasing urbanisation 1971 The ‘growing’ Indian population ‘Counting more than heads’, The Hindu’s editorial dated March 10, 1971, detailed how significant the tenth decennial census (third, post Independence) in knowing the nation’s socio-economic information like ethnic composition, language, dress and culture. ‘Counting more than heads’, The Hindu, March 10, 1971 With over one million enumerators employed to count the population, the 1971 census operation collected information like natural resources, physical features to fill gaps in the economic geography of the nation. India’s population had risen to 54.7 crores with a growth rate of 13.6% in the past decade. In spite of many family-planning awareness drives conducted, India clocked a 24.57% increase in the past decade compared to 21.5% growth in the 1951-1961 decade. As per United Nations’ estimates India would have one billion people by 2000, reported The Hindu. The enumeration exercise The census enumeration which kicked off on March 10, posed a challenge to the enumerators. Questions in the individual survey were framed keeping the confidential nature of the answers in mind, stated The Hindu. Seventeen questions were asked by the part-time census volunteers pertaining to: name, relation to head of family, sex, age, marital status, place of birth and its nature, religion, Scheduled Caste or Tribe, literacy, educational level, mother tongue and other known languages, main occupation, supplemental occupation etc. Married women were asked about age when they were wed, children born in the past year for family planning purposes. March 10, 1971 More than one million enumerators The questionnaire collected information on Age and sex Birthplace and migration Marital status Religion and nationality Literacy and education Mother tongue and other languages Occupation and employment Census of firsts For the first time, the enumeration exercise was split into two stages – Houselisting operations and individual query. Apart from previous census questions, a new field of ‘Standard Urban Area (SUA)’ was introduced to understand the degree of urbanisation in India. Post-enumeration, several state-specific studies and ethnographic studies of specific communities. Milestones First Census conducted in two stages: House-listing Population enumeration Introduction of the Standard Urban Area (SUA) concept to measure urbanisation Expanded post-enumeration studies, including state-specific and ethnographic research Collection of broader information on natural resources and physical geography to support development planning Results of survey ‘108 million population rise in a decade’ exclaimed The Hindu’s headline on April 12, 1971, raising alarm bells over India’s rapidly rising head-count. The total head count tallied at 54,69,55,945 on April 1, 1971, up from 43,90,72,582 in 1961. With a growth rate of 24.57% and a density of 192 per sq. Km, India’s sex ratio stood at 932. However, overall literacy rate remained low at 29.35%, with female literacy only 18.47%. ‘108 million population rise in a decade’, The Hindu, April 13, 1971 Most populous state was Uttar Pradesh (8.82 crores), followed by Bihar (5.63 crores), Maharashtra (5.02 crores), West Bengal (4.44 crores), Andhra Pradesh (4.33 crores) and Madhya Pradesh (4.14 crores). Fastest growing states (in terms of population) were Nagaland (39.64%), Assam (33.51%), Haryana (31.36%), Jammu and Kashmir (29.6%) and Madhya Pradesh (28.04%). India’s low sex ratio was attributed to higher mortality among women due to child-bearing. resultant morbidity and general neglect of female children and adult women, stated Census Commissioner of India. Key Findings Population 547 million 107.878 million Population / sq. km 182 Gender Ratio 932 Literacy 29.35% Male literacy 39.49% Female literacy 18.47% Highest vs lowest % increase in population Impact & analysis Analysis by The Hindu revealed that India’s population is spatially distributed and the country is not yet in the modern age, while its urbanisation is low. In its report ‘Some interesting facts about 1971 census’, The Hindu indicated that the population growth rate (24.57% from 1961) had itself accelerated by 13.6%, in spite of the massive efforts gone into population explosion awareness. The final head-count had also fallen short of the expected figures by about 1.4 crore which tied neatly with the complaints of under-enumeration. Spatial distribution among states remained the same as in 1961, with UP comprising 16.14% of the population while the hilly states of Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland contributed the least – 0.63% and 0.1% respectively. With the establishment of 29 new state administrations (due to integration of princely states into India and bifurcation of bigger provinces), the report found that density varied vastly in different areas - 548 in Kerala and 31 in Nagaland. With higher spurts in some smaller areas, the report concluded that there is much internal migration. With 82% of the population still living in rural areas, the report highlighted the need to identify growth centres among these areas and provide opportunities for good living. Nine metropolitan areas in India - Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Calcutta, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Kanpur and Poona – tallied 267 lakh citizens (4.88%), with Calcutta itself swelling from 2-3 million to 7 million, stated the report. Life expectancy was lower among females in comparison to males and the dependency ratio (number of persons below the age of 15 and those above 60 to those between these two limits of age) shows that India had not entered the modern industrial age. ‘Some interesting facts about the 1971 Census of India’, The Hindu, May 9, 1971 What the numbers revealed The Census highlighted India’s widening demographic challenge Population growth accelerated despite nationwide family planning campaigns Nearly 82% of Indians continued to live in rural areas Female literacy remained below 20%, underscoring the education gap The sex ratio fell further to 932, with higher female mortality linked to childbirth and unequal access to healthcare Urbanisation remained limited, although India’s largest metropolitan centres continued to expand rapidly 1981 The first digitised Census ‘They Count on You’, pleaded The Hindu’s editorial on January 15, 1981 highlighting the enormous task the enumerators were gearing up for in that decade’s population count. With 600-750 people demarcated in each ‘enumerator block’, the editorial explained that the census will consider all children below the age of four as ‘illiterate’. “So there should be no fussing around with child prodigies. They will be promptly dumped into the ranks of the illiterate,” quipped The Hindu. ‘They count on you’, The Hindu, January 16, 1981 The survey found that India’s population had risen to 68.38 crores, an increase of 13.56 crores since 1971. Males continued to outnumber females, clocking a sex ratio of 935. The census also revealed a drop of 50 per lakh in the population. The enumeration exercise “6000 metric tonnes of paper, a virtual army of 12.5 lakh enumerators fanning into various parts of the country and even trying to contact those without a home,” read The Hindu’s article on February 3, 1981 as the Census enumeration began. Questions included personal details, caste, fertility, employment, migration, literacy, housing. Beggars, thieves, smugglers, prostitutes were also included in the census as people who did not have a ‘proper’ source of income. A census enumerator collecting particulars from a family in a slum at Saidapet in Madras in February 1981. Photo: The Hindu Archives ‘The national stock-taking’, The Hindu, February 3, 1981 Enumeration was not conducted in Assam due to ‘Anti-foreigners movement’ spread across the state seeking detection and deportation of illegal foreigners (migrated mainly since 1947 partition). Counting was conducted in Jammu-Kashmir in April due to weather constrictions. February 1981 Nearly 12.5 lakh enumerators across the country each covering an average of 600–750 people The questionnaire collected information on Household composition Caste and religion Literacy and education Employment Migration Fertility Housing conditions Census of firsts Data was collected in two parts – Individual and household data. To ascertain an individual’s physical quality of life index (PQLI), questions regarding literacy, economic activity were added in the 1981 enumeration. Additional six questions were posed to 20% of the population for sampling the data. Focusing on India’s fertility and mortality pattern, questions on marital status, surviving children were asked to all women. Mapping migration from villages to cities, questions on employment, nature of work, last residence, duration of stay and reasons for migration were added. The housing scenario was gauged by asking questions on nature of house, details of ownership, facilities available – this included people living on pavements – a first for Indian census. A census enumerator enlisting a pavement dweller’s family in George Town area, Madras on February 28, 1981. Photo: The Hindu Archives The 1981 census also ushered in computerisation as the enumeration data were fed into magnetic tapes stored at data centres of the National Informatics Centre Network (NICNET). The data was disseminated via electronic media for the first time, easing data analysis and studying the impact. Milestones First computerised Census, with data processed using magnetic tapes and NICNET First electronic dissemination of Census data Separate collection of household and individual information Introduction of Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI) indicators Expanded migration questions covering previous residence, duration of stay and reason for migration First detailed housing survey covering ownership, amenities and pavement dwellers Results of survey “Population has doubled since Independence”, declared The Hindu’s article on March 18 when the census data was published. Standing at 68.38 crores, India’s population had risen by 13.56 crores since 1971. “Males continue to outnumber females — 35.33 crores against 33.04 crores with literacy rate of 46.74 in the first case and 24.88 in the second. The density of population shows a marked increase — it is now 221 persons a sq. kilometre against 177 ten years ago.,” reported The Hindu. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi being enumerated by P. Padmanabha, Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, in New Delhi on February 10, 1981 as part of the census which was launched a day earlier. Photo: PIB Ratio of women was highest in Kerala: 1,034 females to 1,000 males while lowest in pockets of western Uttar Pradesh and northern Madhya Pradesh. “Kerala continues to top in literacy ratio, with a percentage of 69.17%, followed by Chandigarh (64.68), Delhi (61.06), Mizoram (59.50), Goa (55.86), Lakshadweep (54.72), Pondicherry (54.23) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (51.27),” stated The Hindu. ‘Population has doubled since Independence’, The Hindu, March 19, 1981 Among states, UP continued to rank as the most populous with 11.08 crore people, followed by Bihar (6.98 crores), Maharashtra (6.26 crores), West Bengal (5.44 crores) and Andhra Pradesh (5.34 crores). Delhi topped among Union Territories with 61.96 lakh citizens, followed by Goa, Daman/Diu with 10.52 lakhs and Arunachal Pradesh with 6.28 lakhs. Key Findings Population 683.8 million 135.6 million Population / sq. km 221 Gender Ratio 935 Literacy 36.17% Male literacy 46.74% Female literacy 24.88% Highest vs lowest % increase in population Impact & analysis An overall analysis by The Hindu found, “Barring a slight fall in the 1911-21 decade, India’s population has been growing steadily, but the rate was much higher after 1951”. Spatial distribution of population across states continued with Uttar Pradesh’s rate of growth the highest at 16.21% while Lakshadweep ranked last at 0.01%. The Hindu also found that states like Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Haryana, Kerala, Punjab, U.P. and West Bengal and the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry had a population density above the national average. Photo: The Hindu Archives With the sex ratio being 935 women to 1,000 men, the census report found that the ratio was gradually declining with no possible explanation. The report stated, “Explanations have been offered that there is preference for male children resulting in the neglect of female babies and that some part of the adverse ratio may be attributable to high maternal mortality. Similarly, there is no firm explanation for the solitary phenomenon of Kerala where women outnumber men”. ‘The figures & the facts’, The Hindu, March 22, 1981 In an editorial titled ‘Not just mouths to feed’, dated March 23, 1981, The Hindu argued, “Clearly, the small family norm is yet to catch on in many parts of the country — among them in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka where the growth has been higher than the average”. ‘Not just mouths to feed’, The Hindu, March 23, 1981 What the numbers revealed The Census showed that India’s population had nearly doubled since Independence, while demographic patterns remained uneven across regions. Kerala emerged as both the most literate state and the only major state where women outnumbered men Population density continued to rise across much of the country Migration, urbanisation and housing became central themes of demographic analysis The declining national sex ratio remained a growing concern 1991 Population growth rate dips Spanning 6,00,000 villages and 4,689 towns and cities, the 1981-1991 count was conducted between February 9 and 29 by three lakh supervisors overseeing the operation. Costs for the exercise were pegged at ₹300 crore with field work alone amounting ₹126 crores as 8000 tonnes of paper were used to print schedules, forms and instruction booklets. India’s population stood at 843.93 million, registering a one per cent dip in growth rate from 24.66% in 1971-81 to 23.5% to 1981-91. Kerala remained the slowest growing state (13.98%) while Nagaland saw the highest spurt (56.86%). Sex ratio declined from 934 to 929 in 1991 while the literacy stood at 52.11% (Males 63.86% and females 39.42%). The enumeration exercise With violence tearing apart Jammu-Kashmir, weather playing spoilsport in parts of Himachal, Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh and remote islands of Andaman and Nicobar remaining inaccessible, India’s head count was conducted synchronously elsewhere. A mainframe computer was installed to read the digitised census data which was to be published in full by 1995. Across India,163 regional centres were set up to monitor field operations of enumerators drawn from school teachers, patwaris, gram sevaks, clerks and cadres. In spite of being lumped under the ‘disturbed’ state category, enumerators ensured census operations were completed smoothly in Punjab and Assam. Operations for the 13th census of India were launched on February 09, 1991 at Rashtrapati Bhavan when the Registrar-General and Census Commissioner, A.R. Nanda called on President R. Venkataraman for enumeration of the President and his family members. Nanda is seen here interviewing the President. Photo: The Hindu Archives February 9–29, 1991 Covered 6 lakh villages, 4,689 towns and cities Cost approximately ₹300 crore Nearly 8,000 tonnes of paper are used for schedules and manuals Carried out by thousands of field staff under the supervision of nearly 3 lakh supervisors Census of firsts The 1991 census’ questionnaire saw additions like ex-servicemen and pensioners as separate categories, inclusion of unpaid work by women in household and type of cooking fuel used, while Other Backward Classes (OBCs) were dropped as a category. Casting a wide net, the enumeration counted foreign tourists on visit and inmates of docked ship while Indians other than diplomats and their families were left out. Census data was available on floppy discs and computer tape for the first time, reported The Hindu. Milestones Separate categories for ex-servicemen and pensioners Recognition of unpaid household work by women First collection of information on cooking fuel OBC category removed from the questionnaire Foreign tourists and ship crews included in enumeration Census data released on floppy disks and computer tapes, expanding digital access Results of survey ‘Population growth rate dips’, The Hindu, March 26, 1991 “One in every six persons in the world is an Indian,” highlighted The Hindu as India’s population stood at 843.93 million as on March 1, 1991 compared to the world’s estimated population of 5282.93 million. India’s decreasing growth rate of 1.16% was attributed to slowing growth rates in States like Tamil Nadu (14.94 from 17.50), Karnataka (20.69 from 26.75), Goa (15.96 from 26.74) and Gujarat (20.80 from 27.67). Sex ratio too declined to 929 from 934 in 1981, with only Kerala having a sex ratio favourable to women (1,040: 1,000) and Himachal Pradesh fast approaching the same feat (996). India’s literacy stood at 52.11% with men (63.83%) outperforming women (39.42%) with Kerala topping the states with 90.59% literacy while Bihar ranked last with 38.54%. Apart from Pakistan (25.67%), Bangladesh (28.42%), India’s neighbours outperformed it in literacy – Sri Lanka (87.23%) and China (69.52%). Key Findings Population 843.93 million 163 million Population / sq. km 267 Gender Ratio 929 Literacy 52.21% Male literacy 64.13% Female literacy 39.29% Highest vs lowest % increase in population Impact & analysis The Hindu’s analysis unearthed the extremes in India’s slowing population growth rate. Maharashtra remained the only state to have four cities with population exceeding one million – Greater Bombay (9.92 million), Pune (2.4 million), Nagpur (1.6 million) and Nashik (0.72 million). Maharashtra’s total population of 78.7 million also saw extremes in Greater Bombay, Thane, Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri, each registering their own feat. Greater Bombay, the smallest district, had the highest population density; Thane had the highest growth rate, Ratnagiri had the highest female population and Sindhudurg the lowest growth rate. A deeper look at India’s demographic profile revealed that in spite of a reduced growth rate of 2.11%, India would achieve the replacement fertility level by 2000 and stare at a one billion plus population in the 21st century. States with declining growth rate through the decade - Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa continued to lead in literacy while the populous States - Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh continued to lag below the national literacy average of 52.11%. The lowered sex ratio, adverse to females explained the disparity between sexes in health care and share in family resources and the lower expectancy of life at birth for females, reported The Hindu. “The root cause of the problem of Indian poverty is its large and growing population,” opined renowned economist S.L. Rao in The Hindu. Noting the decade’s average inflation of 9% and growth rate of 2.35%, Mr. Rao estimated that India’s Gross National Product (GNP) had to increase by at least 11.35% for per capita to remain unchanged. Income disparity remained uneven with 30% falling below poverty line, 50% categorised really poor, highlighting Centre’s failure to invest in raise India’s social infrastructure – health, education and housing. “If citizens of the metropolises have to pay for health, hygiene and education, other components of economic infrastructure must be taken up by private sector,” concluded Mr. Rao. ‘Disturbing signals from Census (S. L. Rao)’, The Hindu, April 25, 1991 What the numbers revealed Population growth slowed by about one percentage point compared to the previous decade India accounted for one in every six people in the world Literacy crossed the 50% mark for the first time Kerala remained the only state with more women than men (1,040 females per 1,000 males) Regional differences in fertility and literacy became increasingly pronounced 2001 India passes one billion mark The new millennium saw India pass two milestones – one billion citizens and reverse the falling sex ratio. With the population standing at 1.02 billion in 2001, India had seen a jump in literacy from 52.21% to 65.38% while sex ratio improved from 929 to 933. However, the exclusion grabbed headlines as the census failed to capture data about OBCs, unpaid work of housewives, SC/ST communities among Christians and Muslims and income levels. The enumeration exercise Training 2.4 million enumerators in 70,000 sessions to cover 200 million households, the 2001 census saw India pass the one billion head count. The milestone was achieved a year previously when Aastha Arora, was born on May 11, 2000 at New Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital. India is the only country which does a manual door-to-door census survey and the process was a logistical hurdle due to high distrust among public. The 23 questions in the individual slip recorded information on sex, gender, literacy, religion, marital status, occupation, marriage age, travel to work, fertility rates, migration, unemployment etc. 2001 24 lakh enumerators 70,000 training sessions Nearly 20 crore households covered Enumerators collected information on Age and sex Literacy and education Religion Occupation and employment Marriage and fertility Migration Travel to work Disability Census of firsts As the count kicked off, its exclusions came sharply into view. As President Mr. K. R. Narayanan – a Dalit Christian, filled the first Census form, he was dismayed to find his community (Paravan) was not included in the Scheduled Caste (SC) list. The 1990 constitutional amendment had extended the SC status to include Sikhs and Buddhists, keeping Muslims and Christians still out of loop. While religion was recorded, OBCs too remained excluded. This census also recorded disabled population, landholding of households, age of men during marriage, type of educational institution being attended. The census also captured paid and unpaid women’s work such as - labour on farm, rearing of goats, sale of farm produce, fish and vegetables, collection of tendu leaves, rice dehusking, grinding of masala, pottery, assisting in blacksmithy, family shops, manufacture of bamboo products, papad, pickles, products from embroidery, knitting, weaving, preparation of paper bags, book-binding, painting, poultry, rag-pickers, construction labour, running of beauty parlour and tuition at home. However, it did not capture the unpaid domestic productivity of housewives. Milestones First nationwide count of the disabled population Information collected on household landholdings First questions on men’s age at marriage Expanded information on women’s economic activities, including farm work, home-based production and informal employment Results of survey Adding 181 million people to its citizenry between 1991 and 2001, India’s total headcount stood at 1.02 billion on March 1, 2001 – accounting for 16.7% of the world’s population living in 2.4% of the world’s land area. The growth rate slowed by 2.52% in the decade approaching the millennium, while literacy rate and sex ratio improved to 65.38% and 933 respectively. Uttar Pradesh remained the most populous state, accounting for 16.7% of India’s population, followed by Maharashtra (9.42%) and Bihar (8.07%). The South’s population continued to climb slowly as Kerala topped with lowest growth rate of 9.42%, followed by Tamil Nadu (11.19%) and Andhra Pradesh (13.86%). Kerala also topped the country in sex ratio at 1058 and literacy 90.92%, while laggards Haryana and Bihar remained last in sex ratio (861) and literacy (47.53%) respectively. Women finally crossed the halfway mark in literacy, recording 54.16%, while men steamrolled ahead boasting a rate of 75.85%. Key Findings Population 1020 million 181 million Population / sq. km 324 Gender Ratio 933 Literacy 65.38% Male literacy 75.85% Female literacy 54.16% Highest vs lowest % increase in population Impact & analysis Unlike the previous decade, migration was seen more towards state and Union territories with less growth rate as two-thirds of the population was recorded to be living in those areas. A reversal in India’s widening sex ratio was seen with a jump of six points, which was gradually achieved with a jump in literacy rate. ‘Puzzling patterns in Census 2001’, The Hindu, March 28, 2001 ‘Puzzling patterns’ mused The Hindu, as it noted that traditionally backward states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha showed the highest jump in literacy rates (15-20%) while Bihar and Haryana remained an outlier in a slowing growth rate across states. Smaller northeastern states like Sikkim, Nagaland and Manipur which usually see an uptick in growth rates were joined by two larger states - Bihar recorded an accelerated growth of 28.62% (up from 23.49% in 1991) while Haryana recorded 28.43% (up from 26.28%). Similarly, the overall improved sex ratio brought little cheer as Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi saw the number of women per 1000 males reduce in this decade. Delhi’s sex ratio (821) remained the lowest among India’s states, while Dadra and Nager Haveli (811) ranked lowest among Union territories. Curiously, Himachal Pradesh saw an improvement in literacy from 63.86% in 1991 to 76.48% in 2001 but a reduction in sex ratio from 976 to 861, disproving co-relation between gender preference and education. What the numbers revealed India became home to 16.7% of the world’s population, while occupying only 2.4% of the world’s land area Population growth slowed further compared to the previous decade Female literacy crossed the 50% mark for the first time The national sex ratio improved after decades of decline Southern states continued to record significantly lower population growth than northern India 2011 NPR enters in India’s headcount The enumeration exercise “The most cost-effective census,” reported The Hindu as the Centre stated that a mere ₹18.33 per head was spent in counting India’s headcount. Covering citizens residing in 7,742 towns and six lakh villages in 640 districts, a workforce of 2.7 million were engaged for the enumeration. Data on migrant population was collected on the last day of enumeration at airports, railway stations, seaports and bus terminals. ‘Gender critical’ districts were identified based on 2001 data on sex ratio, female literacy rate, and female work participation and enumerators were given special training to collect accurate information. ‘Census 2011 will begin on February 9’, The Hindu, February 3, 2011 2010–11 6 lakh villages 7,742 towns 640 districts Nearly 27 lakh enumerators Census of firsts 2011 marked the preparation of the first ever National Population Register (NPR) - all persons aged above 15 were photographed and finger-printed to create a biometric database. The NPR was aimed at generating a smart card with each citizen having their own unique identification number (UID). For the first time, enumerators counted all citizens including illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and the Centre assured their details would be kept confidential. Questions on household possessions like computers, laptops, and mobile phones were added to assess India’s digital progress, while a new classification of employed citizens termed ‘marginal workers’ was added to distinguish between those who had worked for zero-to-three months and from those who had worked for three-to-six months. A door-to-door enumeration of both rural and urban household for determining castes was also done – a first since independence. Milestones First National Population Register (NPR) with biometric enrolment Photographs and fingerprints collected for residents aged 15 years and above Foundation for a unique identity (UID) database First post-Independence door-to-door caste enumeration through a separate exercise New questions on household assets including: Computers Laptops Mobile phones Results of survey Adding 181 million heads during the decade, India’s population stood at 1.21 billion on April 1, 2011. Sex ratio improved from 933 in 2001 to 940 in 2011, with the six most populous states seeing a dip in decadal growth rate - Uttar Pradesh (declined from 25.85% to 20.09%), Maharashtra (22.73% to 15.99%), Bihar (28.62% to 25.07%), West Bengal (17.77% to 13.93%), Andhra Pradesh (14.59%) and Madhya Pradesh (24.36% to 20.30%). India’s overall literacy increased from 64.83% to 74.04%, but child sex ratio (children aged between 0-6) fell to its lowest since Independence – 914, highlighting concerns of female foeticide and selective sex determination. Retaining its top spot in both favourable sex ratio and literacy, Kerala recorded 1,084 and 93.91% respectively. Daman and Diu ranked the lowest in sex ratio (618) while Bihar remained least literate (61.8%). Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar and lowest states on child sex ratio - Haryana (830) and Punjab (846), recorded an increasing trend in overall sex ratio. Mizoram (971) and Meghalaya (970) led the nation in child sex ratio but remained among one of the 27 states which saw decline in overall sex ratio. Key Findings Population 1210 million 181 million Population / sq. km 382 Gender Ratio 940 Literacy 74.04% Male literacy 82.14% Female literacy 65.46% Highest vs lowest % increase in population Impact & analysis The three per cent fall in decadal population growth rate from 21.54% to 17.64% brought cheer as India’s population was stabilising soon. The Hindu’s analysis noted that the literacy among women showed a better jump (64.83% to 74.04%) than men (75.26% to 82.14%), closing the gap between the sexes. The improving sex ratio from 932 to 940 was attributed to natural longevity of women and improvements in health care over the years. A closer look at the falling child sex ratio showed that while the South and East had a decent ratio, the North and West showed deep dips – highlighting the states’ growing ‘son preference’. The Hindu declared the government’s efforts to tackle female foeticide through bans on sex-determination tests as ‘largely ineffective’. The non-disclosure of raw caste census data in spite of the survey has meant that India’s reservations remain classified as SC/ST and OBCs. ‘Mixed news from Census 2011’, The Hindu. April 2, 2011 What the numbers revealed Population growth slowed to its lowest decadal rate since Independence Female literacy improved faster than male literacy, narrowing the education gap The overall sex ratio improved to 940, continuing the recovery seen in 2001 However, the child sex ratio fell to 914, its lowest level since Independence, raising concerns over sex-selective practices 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011