Census Terminology
Geography › Population and Demography · Topic 9.8
The Census uses precise terms. A house-listing is the first phase, which lists buildings and amenities; population enumeration is the second, which counts persons. A town is either a statutory town (notified by law) or a census town (population of at least 5,000, density of at least 400 per sq km, and at least 75 per cent of male main workers in non-farm work). An urban agglomeration is a town with its outgrowths. A main worker works 183 days or more in a year, a marginal worker less. The sex ratio is females per 1,000 males and the child sex ratio refers to ages 0 to 6.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Population and Demography
At a Glance
- First phase House-listing
- Second phase Population enumeration
- Census town test 5,000; 400 per sq km; 75% male non-farm
- Main worker 183 days or more
- Literate Age 7 and above, reads and writes with understanding
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Population and Demography
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows the topic on the Census of India and gives the meaning of the terms used in it. Examination questions are often framed on these definitions, and the urban and worker terms recur in the macro on urbanisation. Previous topic: Census of India: Literacy, Sex Ratio, Family Planning, Old Age Dependency, Age Structure, Density, Population Growth. Next topic: National Population Policy of India (2000).
What Is the Census and How Is It Carried Out?
In short: the Census is the full count of the people, done once in ten years by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Authority: the Census Act, 1948 provides the legal base. The Census is on the Union List of the Constitution.
- History: the first complete synchronous census was in 1881, under W. C. Plowden; since then a census has been held every ten years. The first after independence was in 1951, and the 15th, in 2011.
- Phases: house-listing and housing census (listing of buildings, households and amenities), then population enumeration (details of each person). Both are done by enumerators, and Census 2027 uses mobile apps and a self-enumeration option.
- Reference date: one night, 0.00 hours on a fixed date, called the reference moment.
- De facto and de jure: India counts people where they are found at the time (de facto), with special arrangements for houseless and floating populations.
What Are the Main Terms and Definitions?
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Household | A group of persons who normally live together and take their meals from a common kitchen |
| Literate | A person aged 7 years and above who can both read and write with understanding in any language |
| Literacy rate | Literates as a share of the population aged 7 years and above (the effective rate) |
| Sex ratio | Number of females per 1,000 males (note that many countries use males per 100 females) |
| Child sex ratio | Females per 1,000 males in the age group 0 to 6 years |
| Density of population | Number of persons per square kilometre of area |
| Decadal growth rate | Percentage change in population between two censuses ten years apart |
| Statutory town | A place with a municipality, corporation, cantonment board or notified town area committee |
| Census town | A place with population of at least 5,000, density of at least 400 per sq km, and at least 75 per cent of the male main working population in non-agricultural work |
| Urban area | All statutory towns and census towns together |
| Urban agglomeration (UA) | A continuous urban spread of a town with its outgrowths such as railway colonies, universities and ports, or two or more adjoining towns |
| Outgrowth (OG) | A viable unit such as a village or part of one that lies near a town and has urban features |
| Main worker | A person who worked for the major part of the year, that is, 183 days or more |
| Marginal worker | A person who worked for less than 183 days in the year |
| Cultivator and agricultural labourer | A person who tills own or leased land, versus one who works on another’s land for wages |
| Work participation rate | Workers as a share of the total population |
| Slum | A residential area, notified, recognised or identified, that is unfit for living because of poor housing, lack of sanitation and crowding |
| Houseless population | Persons not living in buildings or census houses, but on pavements, in pipes or under stairs |
How Are Cities Classified by Size and What Are Million-Plus Cities?
- Class I: towns with a population of 100,000 or more. Class II is 50,000 to 99,999, Class III 20,000 to 49,999, Class IV 10,000 to 19,999, Class V 5,000 to 9,999, and Class VI below 5,000.
- Million-plus cities: urban agglomerations or cities with a population of one million or more; there were 53 of them in 2011.
- Metropolis and megacity: the terms vary by author, with 10 million often used for a megacity; Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata were the largest in 2011.
The urban pattern is in Features and Patterns of India’s Urbanization and city classification in Classification of Cities: Hierarchical and Morphological. As an analytical point, definitions matter because they decide the counted urban share: India’s definition requires non-farm work and density, so many large villages are still counted as rural, while the sudden increase in census towns between 2001 and 2011 changed the picture. The Census data themselves are in Census of India: Literacy, Sex Ratio, Family Planning, Old Age Dependency, Age Structure, Density, Population Growth.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Definitions Asked directly
- Urban Census town test
- Link Census data reading
What Came Next?
The next topic describes the National Population Policy of 2000. Next topic: National Population Policy of India (2000).
Key People and Terms
- Enumeration Counting of persons
- Census town Urban by size, density and work
- Urban agglomeration Town with outgrowths
- Main worker Works 183 days or more
- Sex ratio Females per 1,000 males
- Houseless Not in a census house
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Census town: 5,000; 400 per sq km; 75 per cent.
- Main worker: 183 days or more.
- Literate: age 7 and above.
- Class I town: 100,000 or more.
- First synchronous census: 1881.
Do Not Confuse With
- Statutory and census towns Notified by law versus meeting census tests
- Main and marginal workers 183 days or more versus less
- Sex ratio in India and abroad Females per 1,000 males versus males per 100 females
Memory Hook
Five thousand, four hundred, seventy-five: a census town is alive; one eighty-three splits the work.
Mains Angle
Questions on definitions are common in Prelims. These points add depth for Mains.
- Definitions Shape the data
- Urban Census towns and growth
- Workers Participation and gender
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Explain how the Census of India defines urban areas and discuss why definitions affect the measure of urbanisation.”
How to Answer
- Define Statutory and census towns.
- Tests Size, density, work.
- Effect Counted urban share.
- Link Policy planning.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a census town?
A census town is a place that the Census treats as urban because it has at least 5,000 people, a density of at least 400 persons per sq km, and at least 75 per cent of its male main workers in non-agricultural work, even without a municipal body. Statutory towns are notified by law.
What is an urban agglomeration?
An urban agglomeration is a continuous urban spread consisting of a town and its adjoining outgrowths, such as railway colonies, university campuses, port areas and military camps, or of two or more adjoining towns with their outgrowths. The Census gives its population as a whole, as in Greater Mumbai.
Who is a literate person in the Census?
The Census treats a person aged seven years or above who can both read and write with understanding in any language as literate. A person who can only read but not write is not literate. The literacy rate is the percentage of literates to the population aged seven and above.
What is the difference between main and marginal workers?
A main worker is a person who worked for the major part of the year, which means 183 days or more. A marginal worker is one who worked for less than 183 days in the year. The share of women among marginal workers is high, as they often do seasonal or part-time work.
How is sex ratio defined in the Census of India?
The sex ratio in the Census of India is the number of females per 1,000 males in the population. Many other countries define it as males per 100 females. The child sex ratio refers to females per 1,000 males in the age group 0 to 6 years, and it was 919 in 2011.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 A census town must have at least 75 per cent of male workers in non-agricultural activities.
Along with 5,000 population and 400 per sq km density.
2 A main worker works fewer than 183 days in a year.
That describes a marginal worker.
3 The literacy rate in the Census is for the age group 0 and above.
It is for the age 7 years and above.
4 The sex ratio in India is stated as males per 1,000 females.
It is females per 1,000 males.
Past Mains Questions on This Topic
This topic comes under Population and Demography. UPSC Mains questions asked on the matching syllabus topic, year-wise with marks:
Related Topics
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