Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Data hygiene: On the Census and enumerators

Data hygiene: On the Census and enumerators

Census (जनगणना) enumerators (गणनाकर्मी, जनगणनाकर्ता) should not face (सामना करना, झेलना) difficulties in the name of (के नाम पर, की आड़ में) re-verification (पुनः सत्यापन, दोबारा जाँच)

It is disturbing (चिंताजनक, परेशान करने वाला) that some Census 2027 enumerators in States such as (जैसे, उदाहरण के लिए) Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh are facing issues for extremely unusual reasons. In these two States where the first phase of the Census — Houselisting (गृह-सूचीकरण) and Housing Census (आवास जनगणना) (HLO) — is under way (जारी, प्रगति पर), they have been advised to “revisit households (परिवार, गृहस्थी) and correct the data discrepancies” and “not to select options that may show the government in a poor light”. Re-verification is a legitimate (वैध, उचित) part of any study (सर्वेक्षण, अध्ययन) or survey but this must be done to reflect (प्रतिबिंबित करना, दर्शाना) reality accurately, not to manage perceptions (धारणा, दृष्टिकोण). In Rajasthan, the issue arises from a circular (notice, directive, order, notification) of the Director of Census Operations (the official state-level authority operating under the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, responsible for the planning, organizing, and executing of the decennial population census operations within a state; state census directorate, regional census authority) to district-level officials (officer, administrator, executive, functionary, bureaucrat) regarding (concerning, about, with respect to, with reference to) discrepancies identified in field data (information or measurements collected directly from external, real-world environments rather than in a laboratory or controlled setting; empirical data, raw data). Apparently (seemingly, evidently, outwardly, allegedly, ostensibly), the objective (aim, goal, target, purpose, intention) is to ensure that data are accurately recorded, using appropriate (suitable, proper, fitting, correct, apt) options in the questionnaire (a set of printed or written questions with a choice of answers, devised for the purposes of a survey or statistical study; survey form, feedback form, inquiry sheet). However (nevertheless, nonetheless, yet, but, still), in some cases, enumerators have been told to record data based on assumptions (premise, belief, expectation, supposition, presumption). For example (for instance, as an example, to illustrate), if some households do not have toilets, enumerators have been told to check whether toilets are available nearby (close at hand, close by, not far away, in the neighbourhood), on the basis of which the entry can be changed from “open defecation (the discharge of faeces from the body; excretion, discharging bodily waste, answering the call of nature, stool)” to “[having] access to latrine (toilet, washroom, lavatory, restroom)”. In Uttar Pradesh, the message seems (appear, look, give the impression of being, look like) to be not to present (show, display, exhibit, put forward, submit) facts as they are, raising concerns (worry, anxiety, apprehension, fear) about data integrity (the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of data throughout its lifecycle; data accuracy, data quality, data validity) and reliability for a crucial and sensitive (delicate, tricky, complicated, difficult) exercise (task, activity, process, operation, undertaking).

The present episode (incident, event, occurrence, happening, affair) brings to the fore the efficacy (effectiveness, success, productiveness, usefulness, power) of programmes such as the country’s long-running (long-lasting, unending, continuous, continuing, enduring) campaign (drive, movement, push, initiative, crusade) against open defecation (the human practice of defecating outside (in the open environment) rather than into a toilet; relieving oneself outdoors, outdoor defecation). While many States have made tangible (real, actual, solid, concrete, measurable) progress, it would be unrealistic (impractical, illogical, irrational, unreasonable, far-fetched) to conclude that the problem has been eliminated. For administrative (organizational, managerial, operational, bureaucratic, governmental) purposes, including funding (financial support, financing, backing, capital, investment), it is reasonable to classify (categorize, group, grade, sort, index) cities and villages on the basis of (based on, by virtue of, relying on, thanks to) certain parameters (criterion, factor, specification, guideline, framework) as Open Defecation Free (ODF) (an official status awarded to communities or villages that have completely eliminated the practice of open defecation, ensuring all households and public institutions use safe technology options for the disposal of faeces (stools); sanitation milestone, open-defecation-free status), ODF Plus and ODF Plus Model (a specific category of ODF Plus villages that effectively sustain their open defecation free status while maintaining comprehensive solid and liquid waste management and exhibiting a visually clean environment with minimal litter). But, the critical question is whether (used to introduce a doubt or choice between alternatives; if) such a classification (categorization, grouping, sorting, grading, taxonomy) reflects reality and comes into conflict with the enumerators’ work. It is the responsibility (duty, task, burden, obligation, accountability) of policymakers (a person who is responsible for formulating policies, especially in politics or government; legislator, decision-maker, administrator) to ensure that Census data are accurate and credible (believable, plausible, reliable, trustworthy, dependable). They must also sensitise (make someone aware of, make responsive to, educate about, impart knowledge about) people to provide correct information, as public policies and welfare (social security, public assistance, well-being, benefit, social support) schemes are formulated (create, prepare, devise, develop, frame) on the basis of these data and ultimately (eventually, in the end, finally, at last) benefit them. The authorities must recognise (acknowledge, admit, accept, realize, understand) and resolve the legitimate difficulties faced by enumerators. As the significance (importance, consequence, relevance, magnitude, seriousness) of the Census hardly (barely, scarcely, only just; practically not) needs any reiteration (the process of repeating something for clarity or emphasis; repetition, repeating, restatement, retelling), the Union government should be quite (very, completely, entirely, totally, fairly) liberal (generous, broad-minded, flexible, open-handed, tolerant) in enhancing (increase, boost, raise, improve, amplify) allowances (a sum of money paid regularly to a person to meet needs or expenses; payment, grant, stipend, subsidy) for enumerators to ensure efficient and timely (prompt, punctual, well-timed, happening at the right time) work. It should not only be conscious (aware, mindful, sensible, observant) of the financial outlay (expenditure, expenses, spending, outgoings, cost) involved — about ₹11,718 crore for the entire country — but also of the need to make reliable (dependable, trustworthy, credible, authentic, steadfast) data publicly (openly, in public, transparently, for all to see) available for purposes such as targeted and inclusive (all-embracing, comprehensive, all-inclusive, taking everything into account) policymaking (the act of creating laws or setting standards for a government or business; drafting policies, formulation of rules, decision-making). The government should send a clear message (communication, statement, intimation, signal, point) that data sanitisation (the deliberate alteration, hiding, or deletion of specific data points to alter its original reality, typically to make a situation look better than it is; manipulation, doctoring, data whitewashing) must not be undertaken (attempt, try, embark on, commence, adopt, assume, engage, start/begin) under the guise of (under the pretext of, using something as a pretext, excuse, or camouflage to hide the true purpose; in the name of, behind the facade of) re-verification..

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.census (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जनगणना
English Meaning - an official count or survey of a population, typically recording various details of individuals; population count, demographic survey.

2.enumerator (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गणनाकर्मी, जनगणनाकर्ता
English Meaning - a person employed in taking a census of the population; census-taker, surveyor.

3.face (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सामना करना, झेलना
English Meaning - to deal with, confront, encounter, tackle, cope with.

4.in the name of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के नाम पर, की आड़ में
English Meaning - under the guise of, bearing the title of, on behalf of, for the sake of.

5.re-verification (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पुनः सत्यापन, दोबारा जाँच
English Meaning - the act of verifying or checking again; re-checking, re-examination, re-validation.

6.disturbing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - चिंताजनक, परेशान करने वाला
English Meaning - worrying, alarming, disconcerting, unsettling, troubling.

7.such as (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - जैसे, उदाहरण के लिए
English Meaning - for example, for instance, like.

8.houselisting (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गृह-सूचीकरण
English Meaning - the process of numbering and listing houses and households prior to the actual population enumeration in a census; property listing, dwelling count.

9.Housing Census (HLO) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आवास जनगणना
English Meaning - officially known as Houselisting Operations, it is the first phase of the decennial Census of India designed to collect systematic data on housing conditions, basic amenities, and household assets prior to the population enumeration.

10.under way (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - जारी, प्रगति पर
English Meaning - in progress, going on, happening, occurring, taking place.

11.household (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परिवार, गृहस्थी
English Meaning - a family or a group of people living together in a single residence; family, house, occupants.

12.legitimate (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - वैध, उचित
English Meaning - valid, reasonable, justifiable, sensible, lawful.

13.study (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सर्वेक्षण, अध्ययन
English Meaning - investigation, research, inquiry, review, analysis.

14.reflect (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबिंबित करना, दर्शाना
English Meaning - show, display, indicate, demonstrate, reveal.

15.perception (noun)

Hindi Meaning - धारणा, दृष्टिकोण
English Meaning - impression, viewpoint, understanding, notion.

16.data hygiene (noun)

English Meaning - the process of ensuring the cleanliness, accuracy, and quality of data by removing errors, inconsistencies, or manipulations; data cleanliness, data accuracy, data validity.

17.hygiene (noun)

English Meaning - cleanliness; in this context, it refers to the practice of maintaining the accuracy, consistency, and quality of data; upkeep, maintenance, sanitation, validity.

18.show something in a poor light (phrase)

English Meaning - make something look bad, portray negatively, damage the reputation of, bring disrepute to.

19.arise from (verb)

English Meaning - originate from, stem from, result from, emerge from.

20.circular (noun)

English Meaning - notice, directive, order, notification.

21.Director of Census Operations (organization)

English Meaning - the official state-level authority operating under the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, responsible for the planning, organizing, and executing of the decennial population census operations within a state; state census directorate, regional census authority.

22.official (noun)

English Meaning - officer, administrator, executive, functionary, bureaucrat.

23.regarding (preposition)

English Meaning - concerning, about, with respect to, with reference to.

24.field data (noun)

English Meaning - information or measurements collected directly from external, real-world environments rather than in a laboratory or controlled setting; empirical data, raw data.

25.apparently (adverb)

English Meaning - seemingly, evidently, outwardly, allegedly, ostensibly.

26.objective (noun)

English Meaning - aim, goal, target, purpose, intention.

27.appropriate (adjective)

English Meaning - suitable, proper, fitting, correct, apt.

28.questionnaire (noun)

English Meaning - a set of printed or written questions with a choice of answers, devised for the purposes of a survey or statistical study; survey form, feedback form, inquiry sheet.

29.however (adverb)

English Meaning - nevertheless, nonetheless, yet, but, still.

30.assumption (noun)

English Meaning - premise, belief, expectation, supposition, presumption.

31.for example (phrase)

English Meaning - for instance, as an example, to illustrate.

32.nearby (adverb)

English Meaning - close at hand, close by, not far away, in the neighbourhood.

33.defecation (noun)

English Meaning - the discharge of faeces from the body; excretion, discharging bodily waste, answering the call of nature, stool.

34.latrine (noun)

English Meaning - toilet, washroom, lavatory, restroom.

35.seem (verb)

English Meaning - appear, look, give the impression of being, look like.

36.present (verb)

English Meaning - show, display, exhibit, put forward, submit.

37.raise concerns (verb)

English Meaning - to express anxiety, worry, or objections about a particular issue; express apprehension, voice doubts, highlight worries, provoke fears.

38.concern (noun)

English Meaning - worry, anxiety, apprehension, fear.

39.data integrity (noun)

English Meaning - the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of data throughout its lifecycle; data accuracy, data quality, data validity.

40.integrity (noun)

English Meaning - honesty, good character, sincerity, or fairness; in this context, it refers to the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of information; trustworthiness, reliability, dependability, authenticity.

41.reliability (noun)

English Meaning - dependability, trustworthiness, authenticity, accuracy, credibility.

42.sensitive (adjective)

English Meaning - delicate, tricky, complicated, difficult.

43.exercise (noun)

English Meaning - task, activity, process, operation, undertaking.

44.episode (noun)

English Meaning - incident, event, occurrence, happening, affair.

45.bring to the fore (phrase)

English Meaning - draw attention to, highlight, emphasize, bring to light, spotlight.

46.efficacy (noun)

English Meaning - effectiveness, success, productiveness, usefulness, power.

47.long-running (adjective)

English Meaning - long-lasting, unending, continuous, continuing, enduring.

48.campaign (noun)

English Meaning - drive, movement, push, initiative, crusade.

49.open defecation (noun)

English Meaning - the human practice of defecating outside (in the open environment) rather than into a toilet; relieving oneself outdoors, outdoor defecation.

50.tangible (adjective)

English Meaning - real, actual, solid, concrete, measurable.

51.unrealistic (adjective)

English Meaning - impractical, illogical, irrational, unreasonable, far-fetched.

52.administrative (adjective)

English Meaning - organizational, managerial, operational, bureaucratic, governmental.

53.funding (noun)

English Meaning - financial support, financing, backing, capital, investment.

54.classify (verb)

English Meaning - categorize, group, grade, sort, index.

55.on the basis of (phrase)

English Meaning - based on, by virtue of, relying on, thanks to.

56.parameter (noun)

English Meaning - criterion, factor, specification, guideline, framework.

57.Open Defecation Free (ODF) (noun)

English Meaning - an official status awarded to communities or villages that have completely eliminated the practice of open defecation, ensuring all households and public institutions use safe technology options for the disposal of faeces (stools); sanitation milestone, open-defecation-free status.

58.ODF Plus (noun)

English Meaning - an extension program of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) focusing on sustaining the open defecation free (ODF) status and ensuring solid and liquid waste management (SLWM) across villages.

59.ODF Plus Model (noun)

English Meaning - a specific category of ODF Plus villages that effectively sustain their open defecation free status while maintaining comprehensive solid and liquid waste management and exhibiting a visually clean environment with minimal litter.

60.whether (conjunction)

English Meaning - used to introduce a doubt or choice between alternatives; if.

61.classification (noun)

English Meaning - categorization, grouping, sorting, grading, taxonomy.

62.reflect reality (phrase)

English Meaning - represent the actual situation, mirror the truth, show the true picture, be factually correct.

63.come into conflict (phrase)

English Meaning - clash, disagree, contradict, be at odds.

64.responsibility (noun)

English Meaning - duty, task, burden, obligation, accountability.

65.policymaker (noun)

English Meaning - a person who is responsible for formulating policies, especially in politics or government; legislator, decision-maker, administrator.

66.credible (adjective)

English Meaning - believable, plausible, reliable, trustworthy, dependable.

67.sensitise (verb)

English Meaning - make someone aware of, make responsive to, educate about, impart knowledge about.

68.public policy (noun)

English Meaning - a strategy, rule, or official course of action implemented by a government to address public issues; government strategy, state policy, administrative directive.

69.welfare (noun)

English Meaning - social security, public assistance, well-being, benefit, social support.

70.formulate (verb)

English Meaning - create, prepare, devise, develop, frame.

71.ultimately (adverb)

English Meaning - eventually, in the end, finally, at last.

72.recognise (verb)

English Meaning - acknowledge, admit, accept, realize, understand.

73.significance (noun)

English Meaning - importance, consequence, relevance, magnitude, seriousness.

74.hardly (adverb)

English Meaning - barely, scarcely, only just; practically not.

75.reiteration (noun)

English Meaning - the process of repeating something for clarity or emphasis; repetition, repeating, restatement, retelling.

76.quite (adverb)

English Meaning - very, completely, entirely, totally, fairly.

77.liberal (adjective)

English Meaning - generous, broad-minded, flexible, open-handed, tolerant.

78.enhance (verb)

English Meaning - increase, boost, raise, improve, amplify.

79.allowance (noun)

English Meaning - a sum of money paid regularly to a person to meet needs or expenses; payment, grant, stipend, subsidy.

80.timely (adjective)

English Meaning - prompt, punctual, well-timed, happening at the right time.

81.conscious (adjective)

English Meaning - aware, mindful, sensible, observant.

82.outlay (noun)

English Meaning - expenditure, expenses, spending, outgoings, cost.

83.reliable (adjective)

English Meaning - dependable, trustworthy, credible, authentic, steadfast.

84.publicly (adverb)

English Meaning - openly, in public, transparently, for all to see.

85.targeted (adjective)

English Meaning - aimed, directed, focused, concentrated on a specific group or objective.

86.inclusive (adjective)

English Meaning - all-embracing, comprehensive, all-inclusive, taking everything into account.

87.policymaking (noun)

English Meaning - the act of creating laws or setting standards for a government or business; drafting policies, formulation of rules, decision-making.

88.message (noun)

English Meaning - communication, statement, intimation, signal, point.

89.data sanitisation (noun)

English Meaning - the deliberate alteration, hiding, or deletion of specific data points to alter its original reality, typically to make a situation look better than it is; manipulation, doctoring, data whitewashing.

90.sanitisation (noun)

English Meaning - sterilization, disinfection, cleaning; in this context, it refers to the deliberate alteration or filtering of data to hide negative facts and present a misleadingly positive picture; manipulation, doctoring, alteration, whitewashing.

91.undertake (verb)

English Meaning - attempt, try, embark on, commence, adopt, assume, engage, start/begin.

92.under the guise of (phrase)

English Meaning - under the pretext of, using something as a pretext, excuse, or camouflage to hide the true purpose; in the name of, behind the facade of.