Souvenir Kerala
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CENSUS 19~1 SOUVENIR KERALA EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY M. VIJAYANUNNI, lAS DIRECTOR OF CENSUS OPERATIONS KERALA PROLOGUE The 1981 Census of India which was the biggest administrative exercise in the world, engaging over a million and a quarter persons all over the country, was a great saga of human endeavour and a shining example of what the united and concerted efforts of a dedicated army of people could achieve by putting their shoulders together in a gigantic national task. The census men had to encounter occupational hazards of theIr own. Like III Andamans where they had to leave out of enumeration the Sentilese, a hostile aboriginal tribe who could not be approached, and approach the Onge tribesmen loaded with material gifts to ensure their co-operation in the census. In the golden beaches of Goa, the enumerator could not venture after dusk to enumerate the houseless like in other parts of the country, for he would be accus::d of acting a'i a peeping tom on certain sights for the gods by hippies. Of course the hazards in our country are nothing compared to the mortal risks of enumerators in certain other countries like Afghanistan where they had to abandon the census midway through when their enumerators started being simply done to death by hostile tribesmen. The present census provided great- challenges and matching responses; meticulous planning and tireless toil. There were occasions when we had to improvise and dare, and in Churchilrs words we "improvose and dore"'. And there was triumph (and fortunately, no disaster, and hence we never had to treat those two impostors alike as advised by Rudyard Kipling). In this publication we have attempted to capture and present the more interesting glimpses of the various census experiences which would otherwise be consigned to oblivion with the efflux of time. 2 ABOUT THE CENSUS OF INDIA Few people from outside realise that Census is an administrative operation of great dimension and, in addition, it is a scientific process. Indian Census in particular covers the largest population of the world and it is also one of the most economical administrative operations. Census as an institution goes back to the remote past but it is no longer a mere counting of heads. It in volves extraction of information which plays a vital role in the determination of many of our administrative policies. The facts elicited during the course of the operation yield valuable scientific data of sociological importance. In many matters it provides a useful guide for the effectiveness or otherwise of our economic policies. The theory of population is itself an interesting part of economics. The Census helps us to test and adapt that theory to facts. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Home Minister of India on the 1951 census In our country we have these census operations on a vast scale. I wonder if any other country carries on such operations in the same manner as elaborately, accurately, objectively and dispassionately as we do here. In our country the censuses have always been conducted in a scientific spirit, in a rational manner, without any bias or prejudice .... In these days you cannot take up any serious administrative, economic or social work without referring to the Census report which is an essential part of every enquiry of every study. Even for the solution of minor problems you have often to consult the Census reports. Govind Ballabh Pant Home Minister of India on the 1961 census Iridia is on the threshold of momentous changes in the social and economic life of the people. These have to be based on the knowledge of the state of the people and accurate assessment of their needs. The Census provides such an assess ment. In our country the Census is an operation of gigantic magnitude. Over a million trained census-takers .... will visit every household throughout the length and breadth of the country and coHect data on the important demographic, social and economic characteristics of every individual. The success of a census depends on the whole hearted co-operation of the people. Every single individual is an equal partner in this great national venture. Indira Gandhi Prime Minister of India on the, 1971 Census 3 CARTOONS ON CENSUS Indian Express Indian Express February 14, 1981 March 19, 1981 RIVATE VIE RIVATE VIE 'NOlAN E)<.PRESS MARCH 19 1981 POPULATION DOUBLED SIN ('E INDEPENDENCE I hope you Census Officers will fearlessly expose the excesses of the public. Today we fly the flag at half mast. Illustrated Weekly April 4, 1981 "My son will answer all your questions. He needs practice for his interview this week !" 4 Mahl) ala rvlanorama, Kottayam Malayala Manorama, Kottayam February II, 1981 February lA, 1981 ~ c:>J §J, 6)ffi.l oOffi.l ffi.l6 dhJro u "4)~ CTnJS 2, ~.!lJJB 1 g;Q"J (lJ'l§1m?> [r'LJ::Jm;LJ~mcmm1(QJJ(QJ(lJ«J "4)(((J)? -9-d6 ffi.l_j((iJ)JlJ(Qil 0),cl crl:ll 'Q<Z6TTsJ ~(J)CTnu. &6:31 &'» "4)[((J)? :3vl(BG:'1loUm)''<;h,v ((J)J6)'l' ~c!6YT):) "4)CTn2, 'om:)o (\)61'l!iC mJl d%l6 ro61'l!iU." 6 G:n.JJ(3']"'!d1 Gl§;d ? Mathrubhoomi, Trivandrum February 10, 1981 , . ffi.l((J)clffi.lmUWJl)(J)) rulQJ(\)o'.J)crnclJ (,(\)::JC!"l 'LIiJ:.,6TT)((j)u .... "4)mlo%'60 Clll'OC!6m3J«Jd%l2,. dh~sl ~()6 :LJla:~~roU, mJeJe, (!dhCl'l'l, 63ro~ rL1§1, 'LI')6lcon.. .. rL1C:O<TLJ 0 1>-\:1Ifii,P 0 rUC:06YT)IIiC:~O. iT\) 1 03JOTUJ:360 !L~r7J(3c i3 JffiJJ 36• QJ1§l d%lJoO '}I>.JJ(J))JrciiJ cfu136 (TT) &Jtmj 0 0 Clll'06Tl!lj :)°6 6)rL100 crl:lm~Q ........ " 5 "Are you absolutely positive, this is part of the Census?" Census-taker: "In which state were you born?" "Well", hesitated the blushing spinster, "er. ......... in the nude." 6 Tactless enumerator: "1 ju~t want to know how many of you IS deaf, dumb, blind, in sane and idiotic-likewise how many convicts there is in the family -- what all your ages are, especially the old woman and the young ladies - and how much the old man earns." (TREMENDOUS SENSATION ALL ROUND THE TABLE) SPAN February 1981 WIZARD OF ID 7 Hazards which a census enumerator should beware of , I: I f By M. VIJA Y ANUNNI Director of Census Operations, Kerala Published in the Kerala Kaumudi, Trivandrum 15-2-1981 1. Enumerator: Are you married? rul ruon.nl tmCQJoa6Tl)O ? Girl: No. (IDO~. 2. Enumerator: How many children do you have? n{j)(tm c£hb31c£h§b6rl'SU? * * * * 3. Enumerator: How many children do you have? n{j)(tm c£hb31c£h§b6rl'SU? Woman: Five. (IDO 6lID.J () • 4. Enumerator: Are you married? The enumerator should take care not to ask questions in the wrong sequence, or he may have to suffer summary punishment as in this case and run for his life. 8 '"The information collected through census will be kept confidential and will not be used for any other purpose." -Census Act ( I~ I I By VlJAYANUNNI 1. Bachelor enumerator: Married? Beautiful spinster: No ®i)~. 2. Enumerator: In that case will you ~m,1 am @ru<ml n.tj)6lml ru1 ruOn.Oo marry me? cf),'91cOO6~11l0 ? Respondent: Don't you know that 6)CT\)0'3CT\)CT\)1 am c6> ~ 51 c6>1 36 <m information collected through Cl.J1OJ!06Ol3Co l1l6)gomoruUl)~mTmlml60 census should not be put to any @Cl....J(]OO)o(f)l cOOocm o.J(516)~m>(J CErn)()1 other use. <llJ1 a~? 9 By VIJA YANUNNI Question 14 A: Worked anytime last year? Even a straightforward census question like the above may take on a mischjevous import in a context like this. 11 KUDOS TO THE CENSUS OF INDIA 1981 FROM ABROAD "You must have set a record for speed in producing census results. To have provisional results for your large and populous country within two weeks of the date of enumeration is an enviable performance. The inclusion of graphics and commentary simply adds reasons for the admiration of the massive teamwork you had organized. We are also impressed by the speed with which this report reached us." Conrad Taeuber Georgetown University Washington, D. C., U.S.A. * * * * "It remains a constant source of surprise and pleasure to me to see India compile, publish and distribute preliminary data for a popUlation of over 650,000,000 on an almost overnight time-table. You certainly set a world record for efficiency." Forrest E. Linder President International Institute for Vital Registration and Statistics Maryland, U.S.A. * * * * "I am honored to have received a copy of Paper 1 of 1981 Census of India and am extremely impressed at the extraordinary record of preparing prelimi nary totals for the second largest population in the world in such a very short time. Congratulations." Ansley .I. Coale Princeton University Princeton, U.S.A. * * * * 12 "You put us to shame by the speed with which you turned out the provi· sional results of the 1981 Indian Census. Congratulations on the compilati9n of the results in such a short time. 1 was showing the copy to the staff and they could not believe what they saw." Mercedes B. Concepcion Dean Population Institute, Manila Philippines * '" '" * "You and your staff are to be congratulated for such timely release of these figures. The Census of India is known as a remarkable operation indicating high professional and operational standards ...... We can only aspire in our 1981 Census of Canada to meet your standards!" Edward T.