Lecture 10 - Introduction to Census, SRS, and Other National Sample Surveys PDF Download

 Page 1


Lecture 10: Introduction to Census, SRS, and Other National Sample Surveys 
 
Slide 1 
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. These 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 also 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 by more 
than 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 various types of errors known to be present in age data as well as 
in over all size of population.   
Page 2


Lecture 10: Introduction to Census, SRS, and Other National Sample Surveys 
 
Slide 1 
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. These 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 also 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 by more 
than 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 various types of errors known to be present in age data as well as 
in over all size of population.   
Slide 2 
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, 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 to provide 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) have produced data on different characteristics of 
population including employment, migration, health, fertility and poverty. They have 
produced data on vital events also which are more reliable than vital registration system, 
yet, unlike the vital registration scheme that can produce data on continuous basis, survey 
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. 
Page 3


Lecture 10: Introduction to Census, SRS, and Other National Sample Surveys 
 
Slide 1 
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. These 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 also 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 by more 
than 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 various types of errors known to be present in age data as well as 
in over all size of population.   
Slide 2 
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, 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 to provide 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) have produced data on different characteristics of 
population including employment, migration, health, fertility and poverty. They have 
produced data on vital events also which are more reliable than vital registration system, 
yet, unlike the vital registration scheme that can produce data on continuous basis, survey 
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. 
Slide 3 
SAMPLE REGISTRATION SYSTEM (SRS) 
 
Sample registration system was developed in India due to lack of reliable registration 
data. It is also called a dual record system as it combines the methods of vital registration 
and survey.  
As aptly described by Registrar General India (2009): 
The Sample Registration System (SRS) is a large-scale demographic survey for providing 
reliable annual estimates of birth rate, death rate and other fertility & mortality indicators 
at the national and sub-national levels. Initiated on a pilot basis by the Office of the 
Registrar General, India in a few selected states in 1964-65, it became fully operational 
during 1969-70 with about 3700 sample units. The field investigation consists of 
continuous enumeration of births and deaths in selected sample units by resident part 
time enumerators, generally anganwadi workers & teachers, and an independent survey 
every six months by SRS supervisors. The data obtained by these two independent 
functionaries are matched. The unmatched and partially matched events are re-verified in 
the field and thereafter an unduplicated count of births and deaths is obtained. The 
sample unit in rural areas is a village or a segment of it, if the village population is 2000 
or more. In urban areas, the sampling unit is a census enumeration block with population 
ranging from 750 to 1000. The SRS sample is replaced every ten years based on the latest 
census frame. It had been a practice to stagger the replacement process over 2-3 years. 
However, the latest replacement has been carried out in one go. Effective from January 
2004, this sample is based on the 2001 Census frame. At present, SRS is operational in 
7,597 sample units (4,433 rural and 3,164 urban) spread across all States and Union 
territories and covers about 1.5 million households and 7.10 million population.  
 
 
Page 4


Lecture 10: Introduction to Census, SRS, and Other National Sample Surveys 
 
Slide 1 
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. These 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 also 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 by more 
than 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 various types of errors known to be present in age data as well as 
in over all size of population.   
Slide 2 
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, 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 to provide 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) have produced data on different characteristics of 
population including employment, migration, health, fertility and poverty. They have 
produced data on vital events also which are more reliable than vital registration system, 
yet, unlike the vital registration scheme that can produce data on continuous basis, survey 
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. 
Slide 3 
SAMPLE REGISTRATION SYSTEM (SRS) 
 
Sample registration system was developed in India due to lack of reliable registration 
data. It is also called a dual record system as it combines the methods of vital registration 
and survey.  
As aptly described by Registrar General India (2009): 
The Sample Registration System (SRS) is a large-scale demographic survey for providing 
reliable annual estimates of birth rate, death rate and other fertility & mortality indicators 
at the national and sub-national levels. Initiated on a pilot basis by the Office of the 
Registrar General, India in a few selected states in 1964-65, it became fully operational 
during 1969-70 with about 3700 sample units. The field investigation consists of 
continuous enumeration of births and deaths in selected sample units by resident part 
time enumerators, generally anganwadi workers & teachers, and an independent survey 
every six months by SRS supervisors. The data obtained by these two independent 
functionaries are matched. The unmatched and partially matched events are re-verified in 
the field and thereafter an unduplicated count of births and deaths is obtained. The 
sample unit in rural areas is a village or a segment of it, if the village population is 2000 
or more. In urban areas, the sampling unit is a census enumeration block with population 
ranging from 750 to 1000. The SRS sample is replaced every ten years based on the latest 
census frame. It had been a practice to stagger the replacement process over 2-3 years. 
However, the latest replacement has been carried out in one go. Effective from January 
2004, this sample is based on the 2001 Census frame. At present, SRS is operational in 
7,597 sample units (4,433 rural and 3,164 urban) spread across all States and Union 
territories and covers about 1.5 million households and 7.10 million population.  
 
 
Slide 4 
OTHER SURVEYS 
 
Demographers and social scientists are now using data collected in many other national 
and sub-national surveys, such as national family health surveys, reproductive and child 
health surveys.  
 
NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEYS 
 
National family health surveys (NFHS) was initiated in 1991. This was an important 
component of the Project to Strengthen the Survey Research Capabilities of the 
Population Research Centres in India. NFHS was launched by Ministry of Health and 
Family Welfare (MOHFW) which designated International Institute of Population 
Sciences as the nodal agency. It was followed by two more national family health 
surveys, called NFHS-2 and NFHS-3. These surveys have produced national and state 
level estimates of fertility, infant and child mortality, the practice of family planning, 
maternal and child health care and the utilization of services provided for mothers and 
children. NFHS-3 has also provided data on reproductive and child health indicators 
including reproductive tract infection (RTI) and sexually transmitted infections (STI). 
NFHS-3, for the first time, made use of biomarkers and produced data on anemia and 
prevalence of HIV. 
Page 5


Lecture 10: Introduction to Census, SRS, and Other National Sample Surveys 
 
Slide 1 
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. These 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 also 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 by more 
than 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 various types of errors known to be present in age data as well as 
in over all size of population.   
Slide 2 
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, 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 to provide 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) have produced data on different characteristics of 
population including employment, migration, health, fertility and poverty. They have 
produced data on vital events also which are more reliable than vital registration system, 
yet, unlike the vital registration scheme that can produce data on continuous basis, survey 
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. 
Slide 3 
SAMPLE REGISTRATION SYSTEM (SRS) 
 
Sample registration system was developed in India due to lack of reliable registration 
data. It is also called a dual record system as it combines the methods of vital registration 
and survey.  
As aptly described by Registrar General India (2009): 
The Sample Registration System (SRS) is a large-scale demographic survey for providing 
reliable annual estimates of birth rate, death rate and other fertility & mortality indicators 
at the national and sub-national levels. Initiated on a pilot basis by the Office of the 
Registrar General, India in a few selected states in 1964-65, it became fully operational 
during 1969-70 with about 3700 sample units. The field investigation consists of 
continuous enumeration of births and deaths in selected sample units by resident part 
time enumerators, generally anganwadi workers & teachers, and an independent survey 
every six months by SRS supervisors. The data obtained by these two independent 
functionaries are matched. The unmatched and partially matched events are re-verified in 
the field and thereafter an unduplicated count of births and deaths is obtained. The 
sample unit in rural areas is a village or a segment of it, if the village population is 2000 
or more. In urban areas, the sampling unit is a census enumeration block with population 
ranging from 750 to 1000. The SRS sample is replaced every ten years based on the latest 
census frame. It had been a practice to stagger the replacement process over 2-3 years. 
However, the latest replacement has been carried out in one go. Effective from January 
2004, this sample is based on the 2001 Census frame. At present, SRS is operational in 
7,597 sample units (4,433 rural and 3,164 urban) spread across all States and Union 
territories and covers about 1.5 million households and 7.10 million population.  
 
 
Slide 4 
OTHER SURVEYS 
 
Demographers and social scientists are now using data collected in many other national 
and sub-national surveys, such as national family health surveys, reproductive and child 
health surveys.  
 
NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEYS 
 
National family health surveys (NFHS) was initiated in 1991. This was an important 
component of the Project to Strengthen the Survey Research Capabilities of the 
Population Research Centres in India. NFHS was launched by Ministry of Health and 
Family Welfare (MOHFW) which designated International Institute of Population 
Sciences as the nodal agency. It was followed by two more national family health 
surveys, called NFHS-2 and NFHS-3. These surveys have produced national and state 
level estimates of fertility, infant and child mortality, the practice of family planning, 
maternal and child health care and the utilization of services provided for mothers and 
children. NFHS-3 has also provided data on reproductive and child health indicators 
including reproductive tract infection (RTI) and sexually transmitted infections (STI). 
NFHS-3, for the first time, made use of biomarkers and produced data on anemia and 
prevalence of HIV. 
Slide 5 
REPRODUCTIVE AND CHILD HEALTH SURVEYS 
 
The reproductive and child health surveys (RCH), 1-2 were conducted to generate district 
level data on utilization of services provided by the government health facilities and 
people’s perception on quality of these services. About 50 percent districts were covered 
in the first phase in 1998 and the remaining 50 percent were covered in the second phase 
in 1999. The surveys were conducted by various regional agencies and coordinated by the 
International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai. Among other things RCH 
surveys have produced data on the following indicators: girls marrying below age 18, 
births of order 3 and above, women age 15-44 knowing all modern methods of family 
planning, married women using any modern method of family planning, married women 
having unmet need for family planning, women who receive antenatal care (ANC), 
women having institutional delivery, women having safe delivery, children receiving 
complete vaccination, women who reported knowledge of HIV/AIDS, women who had 
any symptoms of RTI/STI, men who reported knowledge of HIV/AIDS, men who had 
any symptoms of RTI/STI, and rural women who were visited by ANM during three 
months prior to survey. 
RCH report produced data on the above variables for states and union territories and 
districts. It also produced bi-variate tables linking the above variables to urban-rural 
residence, caste (SC/ST and others), education (illiterate, 0-9 years and 10 and above) 
and type of house (kachcha, semi-pucca and pucca).