- According to the Ministry of Home affairs (MHA),the central government, for the 1st time, will collect data on households headed by a transgender and members living in the family for census 2021. Previously, the choice of the head of the household was gender – male or female.
Key Points:
- The census officer, while making a list of houses to be held from April 1 – September 30, 2020 will ask for specific information based on 31 questions from each household during the census 2021.
- Now three options will be given under the head “sex of the head of the household”- male, female and transgender.
- In addition, the government gather data on ‘ownership status of the census house’ – whether it is owned / rented.
- The census reference date will be March 1, 2021 but due to snowfall it will be October 1, 2020 in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
New initiative in Census 2021:
- The census 2021 will be done through a mobile phone application, deviating from the traditional pen and paper.
- Usage of census monitoring & management portal as a single source for all officers involved in Census activities to provide multi language support.
Background:
- The census has been conducted in India since 1872 without outbreak. It is conducted every 10 years. 2021 is not only the 16th census but also 8thafter independence. The Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990 provide the legal framework in conducting the Census.
