Explain the collection of population data via the three sources.

Population data are collected from three sources, namely.

·         Population Census

·         Registration of Vital Events

·         National Sample Surveys

Census of India: The most important and fundamental source of data for the study of population is the census. The census provides statics on various aspect of population. It is a source of knowing the country's population from different angles. The census is used by administrators, academicians, planners, etc., to understand the current situation of the population.

The salient features of census are:

·         It is sponsored by the Central Government.

·         It is conducted for a predemarcated area both in a political and geographical perspective.

·         The information is collected from every individual and thus it is universal in nature.

·         The enumeration is done at regular intervals once in ten years.

·         For reliability and authentic comparison, the data is collected simultaneously. Every individual's information is collected irrespective of his status in society.

·         After the enumeration, it is immediately published.

Vital Statistics: The registration of vital events in life is another important source of population data. The three concepts which are important are vital events, vital records and vital statistics. Vital events are the person's entry into the world—birth, a person's departure from the world—death, and marriage. Vital records are the written records of these events. Together, both these are known as the vital statistics. Vital statistics are the various analyses based on vital statistics.

Sample Surveys: This is the third major source of data collection. Sample surveys collect the demographic data from a sample of population unlike the census and the vital registration which covers the entire population. The sample surveys data is used by anthropologists, sociologists and other scientists who use population statistics for their research. Sample surveys are of recent origin. There are many groups who enumerate the population but three of them are widely recognized.

Page_no_101/kkhsou/social_demography/mso_15