THE CENSUS OPERATION

In any country census is conducted within the frame work established by registration. Whether a census covered the entire population of a nation or on the some segments there off, it involve the following step.

PLANNING AND PREPARATION:

The extent of planning and preparation for a census depends upon the information being sought and the funds made available.

a   a) It is necessary at the outset to fix up a date at which a census to be conducted. This date should avoid periods when many are away from the home on vacations or when large are engaged in festivities. The census dates we fixed when mild climate. Dates linked with religious or social events are avoided.

b  b) Another the important points at the time of planning is to be considered the form of schedule(questionnaire), the best procedure for data collection, the most efficient means of tabulation of the entire of the return schedule and to establish controls so that best possible coverage with least non-sampling error be made.

c  c) In the design of census schedule (questionnaire) besides taken into consideration government and other agencies requirements and recommendation of U.N. to be kept in mind to enhance international comparability of a generating data.

PRE-TEST:

Shortly before the conduct of the censuses several test counts are under taken in order to look in the practicability and usefulness of the questions. While designing the questionnaire the subsequent procedure of processing and tabulation of the census returns have also to keep in mind. A vital step in planning a census is to secure complete coverage of the area under study this involves preparation of maps and other related tools. Language of the questionnaire is yet another important aspect of census enumeration.

First census commission of Pakistan remarked that “if he gives three weeks to conduct census then I will devote two weeks in planning and designing questionnaire for the census”. Lastly but not the least training of the field staff and organization of field operation are yet another step in the operation of census.

GATHERING THE FACTS DATA:

Census may be conducted on a DE-FACTO basis that is count of the persons present at the place and time of the count or it may be conducted on a DE-JURE  basis that is all persons are counted according to there usual or normal place of residence.

De-FACTO system of population census given an exact population on a particular date until and unless DE-FACTO population census is conducted in a single day (one night) will give over enumeration of the population. In earlier DE-FACTO population census were conducted when population movement was little and people use to line in small villages, areas or segments. Big metropolitan areas were not there. Usually DE-FACTO is conducted in a single moon lit night because of one day operation it requires a big army of enumerators. It was difficult in this system to count moving population. This system was in used up to early 20^th centaury. Another difficulty with DE-FACTO population is that proper use of data in planning is not possible. From 1931 series of censuses in system of census count has generally abundance. In 1975 SINGAPORE and MALAYSIA use this system.

DE-JURE system of census enumeration calls for counting of person of there usual and normal place of residence and the enumeration is carried out about 15 days usual place of residence are specifically spelled out before the conduct of the census. This system involves fewer enumerators which can be better trained thus ensuring better coverage and accuracy. One enumerator is assigned a number of circles/villages when he/she counts people over a period of 2 to 3 weeks time. In this process some people are counted twice and some are not counted new born after the visit of enumerator, is not counted where as a death occurring after the departure of enumerator is counted. However this method is found more convenient in term of supervision and operation. Hence it is most commonly used even in DE-JURE system, one night is declared as census night and the data is taken as part of reference for the census result.