Earlier, census taking used to be a time consuming process and took as long as an entire year to complete.[break]
CBS officials argue that the upcoming 2011 census, which marks 100 years of census taking in Nepal, would be the most scientific till date.
"We will hopefully complete the upcoming census within 11 days," said Rudra Suwal, Population Section Chief of the CBS. "Those who are born or die before or after the census will be added or subtracted when CBS prepares its final report."
The definite timeframe apart, incorporation of modern technologies, extensive questionnaires, geographical maps and international standards employed would make the upcoming population census more scientific.
The 2011 census will throw light on the location and composition of the population in terms of family structure, age-sex distribution, the labor force and other social and economic characteristics. Such data will provide the basic information to analyze and understand fundamental social and economic issues of the society.
Vibrant evolution
When Nepal, under the rule of then Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher, had its first ever population census in 1911, it was nothing but an unscientific headcount. A few dozen enumerators -- a bulk of whom comprised zamindars, talukdars, mukhiyas and patwaris and some other government staffers conducted the census throughout the year.
Then Nepal´s population stood at 5,638,749. Nine years later, when the second census was carried out, population slightly declined to 5,573,788.
The decline in population between the first and second census was mainly due to the First World War (1914-1918). Though authentic records are not available, it is believed that around 200,000 Nepalis participated in the first global war. Of them, some 20,000 Nepalis were killed.
The decline in population persisted in 1930 as well. In the third census, Nepal´s population stood at 5,532,574. However, this time around, the decline was not genuine. According to Dr Vidya Bir Singh Kansakar, who was involved in the eighth census in 1981, the decline was an upshot of fear prevalent among people.
"On the eve of the third census, a Nepali trader was detained by the Tibetan government in Lhasa. Hence, tensions ran high between Nepal and Tibet. People, particularly in the Kathmandu valley, presumed that they would be forced to go to war if their names were listed during the census," Kansakar said. "Therefore, many of them abstained from getting their names listed."
Although census is carried out every 10 years, Nepal missed this universal guideline until 1952. However, post democratic movement of 1950, Nepal has been strictly following this guideline.
Moreover, geographical maps were not available in the first two censuses. Only after an extensive survey in 1926-27 with the technical help of the Department of Survey of India, Nepal started using geographical map to divide census units.
New era
The first democratic movement of 1950 ushered in a new era not only in politics but also the census trajectory. It was then that the government sent five officials of Department of Industrial and Commercial Intelligence (DoICI) to New Delhi for training in universal standards of census.
"Until then, our census method was a mess," said Satya Mohan Joshi, one of the five officials. "We learnt there that censuses are supposed to be completed within a few days." Ironically, in the subsequent fifth census, the counting was done in two phases -- first in 1952 and second in 1954.
In 1971, just after the political demarcation of villages and towns by the Panchayat government, a whole village in Parbat district was missed. No group of enumerators counted people in Bhoksing Panchayat. Fortunately, it was learnt while analyzing the data.
Until then, as Joshi said, no scientific equipments were used in collecting and analyzing data. Moreover, the toughest task was to deliver bundles of census forms to every nook and cranny of the country. "There were no highways. Whether in Doti or Dhankuta, we delivered forms via Indian routes," he said.
Later, in 1970s, highways were constructed. A little later, computers were introduced. "Today, we have personal computers," says Suwal gleefully. "And people are cooperative."
However, as Rabi Kayastha -- who was actively involved in the three consecutive censuses (1981, 1991, 2001) -- points out, "ethnic awareness" has emerged as a new challenge post the 1990 democratic movement.
"It is good that people want their own identity," he said. "However, unnecessary demand for incorporating every aspect of ethnic identity would only open a Pandora´s Box."
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