VITAL REGISTRATION SYSTEM

Censuses produce data mainly on size and composition of population. Demographers need data on fertility and mortality also. These data come from vital registration system in which all vital events – births and deaths – along with certain characteristics of the parents (in case of births) and the deceased (in case of deaths) are recorded wherever they occur. These data are collected and maintained on a continuous basis. In India , we are legally bound to report occurrence of births and deaths to local registrar – village head in rural areas and a municipal registrar in urban areas as registration of birth and deaths is done under the legal provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Act, 1969. The Registrar General of India , appointed by the Central Government under the Act, coordinates and unifies the activities of the State Governments in respect of registration of births and deaths (Government of Karnataka, 2009). Under the Act, the head of the household is responsible for providing information within the prescribed period of 21 days; the institutional events are to be reported by the in-charge of the institution. However, the vital registration data are not complete and correct. They do not produce accurate values of birth and death rates.

NATIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY

In India national sample surveys conducted by National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO), which comes under Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (Government of India, 2009) has produced data on different characteristics of population including employment, migration, health and poverty. They have also produced data on vital events. NSSO has been known worldwide for highly sophisticated sample design and a quick processing of results. Yet, unlike the vital registration scheme that can produce data on a continuous basis, surveys can produce data on discrete time points only (say at the gap of five years). They also suffer from various sampling and non-sampling errors.