The Indian Census operation is not merely a head count, nor is it a game of numbers or an aimless ritual repeated every ten years. It is a definite measure of regional growth in terms of dwelling units, population, economy, literacy and fertility. Information, on each parameter, collected during the Census, has some socio-economic relevance. For example, the population-density reflects the pressure on cities and new towns formed; the sex-ratio indicates the increase or decrease in the number of females per 1,000 males. Information on women literacy and women work participation rate provide a measure of women's welfare. Regional variations in educational attainment, child population and working population give an insight into the uniformity and success of government-implemented schemes, from time to time. The importance of the data is also enhanced to a great extent because of its range and enormity: the Indian Census provides information on 6.27 lakh villages and 4,615 towns along with their outgrowths. This data can be further upwardly aggregated to give block, tehsil, district and state totals.

The Operations

The Census 1991 was conducted in two phases by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI). During the first phase; from April, 1990 to September, 1990; the Household schedule was canvassed. This consisted of identifying information on each household and its usage. The Household schedule and Individual slip were canvassed in the second phase; from February, 1991 to March, 1991; popularly dubbed Census Time. As implied by the names, the Individual Slip is a statement of an individual's social, demographic and economic characteristics, whereas the Household schedule is an abstract of individuals in a household. The Primary Census Abstract (PCA) is a sub-set of the Household schedule data consolidated at the village level for rural areas and at the ward level for urban areas.

The Role of Computers

In the making of the Census 1991, the advantages of computerization, more so of distributed processing, were fully harnessed by processing the PCA data on NIC's computer-based satellite communication network, NICNET. Decentralized processing at locations, where the data was compiled, not only resulted in its efficient release, but also brought about a qualitative improvement in the data itself. This was possible due to reconciliation of data errors reflected by validation checks used in computer processing. NIC State Units, in close co-operation with the Director, Census Operations, worked round the clock for the release of this data on NICNET. Availability of the PCA data on NICNET permits any authorized User to access this data through the district/state computers of the National Informatics Centre and through terminals installed at the Government Bhawans in New Delhi. This has opened up a new chapter in the openness of data. Dissemination of this data on floppies, apart from the usual publications, is now possible for the first time in the history of the Indian Census.

Inaugurating the Primary Census Abstract, the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, summed up the advantages of computerization thus:

"The Census 1991, data was computerized and validated using NICNET facilities, as a result of which the final release of PCA data has been expedited. The User can now access PCA data on NICNET terminals throughout the Country, close to his place of work, and selectively according to his needs. The data can now be made available to the national and international agencies on computer media."

In his presidential speech, on the same occasion, Mr MM Jacob, the then Minister of State for Home Affairs, Government of India, spoke on similar lines:

"The computerization of census data on such a big scale has been a major innovation of the 1991 Census and is a significant step towards timely and easy accessibility of data."

Hand-in-hand

Computerization of data contained in the Household schedules, Individual slips and Village/Town directory is in progress at the Office of the RGI. Our User is keen to integrate these data with the PCA data for dissemination through NICNET.

The close co-operation between the Office of the Registrar General of India and the National Informatics Centre, amply demonstrates the value of openness and efficiency when it comes to making data available to the general public. Emphasizing this point, Mr Pranab Mukherjee noted:

"By releasing the PCA data on NICNET, NIC and the office of the RGI have set a fine example of co-operation producing synergetic effect. Collection of data for 6.3 lakh villages and about 4,615 towns, its compilation, computerization and preparation for final release was a mamoth task."

In data collection and granting permission for its dissemination over NICNET, the Registrar General of India enabled NIC to render a great service to the Nation --- the "NICNET CENSUS SERVICE."