CENSUS
Population census is one of the most reliable and most common sources of data on size, growth and composition of population. In India , the first population census was conducted in early 1870s. It was conducted over a number of years. The second census was conducted on a fixed date in 1881. After that India has had a record of conducting census every ten years uninterruptedly. The last census was conducted in 2001 and the next census will be conducted in 2011. The main purpose of the census is to provide data on size and composition of population of India and its geographic divisions, i.e., population of different states and union territories, districts, blocks and villages. Census collects data from each individual living in the country on a number of items such as age, sex, urban-rural residence, marital status, religion, literacy and education, SC/ST community, work status, and migration status. The recent censuses have also provided data on total number of children ever born, children born last year and children surviving, which are collected from all ever married women (Census of India, 2009). In certain censuses data were also collected on ex-defence personnel and disabled population by type of disability. Census data are used for demographic estimates, projections of populations, and various planning purposes. They are also used to provide sampling frame for national and sub-national surveys. Census data on household characteristics and village infrastructure are very useful for research and planning.
Census data on size is considered to be quite reliable. In the past, post-enumeration checks have shown that the size of India 's population was underestimated not more than by two percent. Yet, some other data, for example, the data on fertility suffer from considerable errors. Demographers have, therefore, developed various techniques for study of errors in census data. When census data are used for population predictions, they have to be adjusted for all types of errors known to be present in age data as well as in over all size of population. Errors due to preference and avoidance of figures ending in certain digits, and deliberate under and over reporting of ages are common to census data.
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