Glossary term
Census: Meaning and Definition
Reviewed and approved by Dr. Anamika ShrivastavaPublished Last updated
A census is an enquiry that covers every unit of the population under study. It gives complete and detailed information but takes more money, time and people than a sample survey. The Census of India counts the whole population roughly every ten years.
In more detail
A census gives complete detail, including for small areas, which sample surveys cannot. It is costly and takes years to process, so it is held at long intervals. Between censuses, estimates come from sample-based systems. Even a census suffers from non-sampling errors such as missed households.
Example
The Census of India has run since 1881. The NCERT book gives the count of 2011 as 121.09 crore people.
Key points
- Covers every unit, so there is no sampling error.
- Costly and slow.
- Non-sampling errors can still occur.
Common mistake
Saying a census has no errors. Coverage and recording mistakes still occur.
Related terms
Where it is explained
This term is explained in Class 11 Statistics Chapter 2: Collection of Data.