Census, Parliamentary seats and regional balance

What would be the purpose of a caste survey, except to accentuate awareness amongst citizens of an attribute which has no place in government schemes for the people?

- M.D. NALAPAT

After more than two decades, a complete census of the population of India is being done. This is a necessary input, including for economic planning, and is therefore a welcome step. The exercise is expected to take place during 2025-26. Controversies are already swirling, including on whether queries concerning caste should be included in the data sheet. Another is how seats in Parliament need to be apportioned between the different states, once the census gets completed. As a state moves up the locus of economic development moves up among individuals, family size usually begins to decrease. Globally, countries with higher per capita incomes have slower rates of population growth than countries with lower levels of per capita incomes.

If we were to reach beyond the present and the immediate past into more faraway times, an explanation could be for lower income families to have had more children, as infant mortality could be expected to be higher than for families with higher levels of income. Another factor could be the need for such families to rely within themselves rather than on hired labour for carrying out work. In India, despite lower levels of income, figures for infant mortality have fallen because of the easier availability of better healthcare.

Average life expectancy has more than doubled since 1947. Overall, India is now having a greater population than China, a demographic opportunity that could be seized as education and job opportunities improve.