Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Injustice in the delay: On the next Census

​Injustice in the delay: On the next Census

The announcement of the Census is welcome (स्वागतयोग्य), but the delay is unjust (अनुचित, अन्यायपूर्ण)

India’s next decadal (दशकीय) population census (जनगणना), initially delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic (महामारी), is now scheduled to conclude by March 2027, after a further delay apparently (जाहिर तौर पर, स्पष्ट रूप से) fuelled by political motivations (प्रेरणा, प्रोत्साहन). The Census in 2021 did not take place as planned, thus impacting different aspects of governance, especially social security (सामाजिक सुरक्षा) schemes for vulnerable (कमजोर, असुरक्षित) populations that rely heavily on updated demographic (जनसांख्यिकीय) data for effective and efficient delivery. For the first time, the Census will be digitally administered (प्रशासन करना, प्रबंध करना), enabling (सक्षम बनाना) faster data gathering and easier accessibility for analysis, thereby (as a result of that; by that means) allowing population-level data to be more dynamic (गतिशील). However, this technological adoption (अपनाना) also heightens (increase, intensify, amplify, add to) concerns regarding (with regard to, with reference to, in terms of, concerning, as to, in connection with) data theft and privacy. While the nature of the Census will evolve (develop, advance, progress gradually), transparency (clarity, straightforwardness, openness, honesty, unambiguity) at all levels will be crucial to building public trust (public confidence/belief in the reliability of something) in the exercise (activity, task, operation, assignment). Preparations for this massive operation, which will reach every household (family, house), are underway, with more logistical (relating to organization and planning of something) details anticipated (expect, look for, reckon on) in the weeks ahead.

India stands at a demographic crossroads, facing the challenges of growing (increasing) populations of the young and the old alongside significant regional variations in key indicators (measure, index, criterion, point of reference). Fresh data from the Census can help address (tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out) many issues. For the first time since 1931, caste categories will be enumerated (list, itemize, mention, count (things one by one)). While more reliable data on the socio-economic (relating to the interaction of social (position, rank, or importance) and economic (income, pay, and wealth) aspects) standing of caste groups can inform development planning, the potential (possibilities, potentiality, prospects, promise, capacity, capability, ability, power) for further social segmentation (division/separation into a different parts) makes caste enumeration (the action of establishing the number of something; counting, numbering, tally) a double-edged sword. A critical aspect of the upcoming (forthcoming, approaching, impending, imminent, nearing) Census is its link to the next delimitation (the act of establishing limits or boundaries in a Treaty, Judgement or other Agreement) of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies, which will redraw India’s electoral map. The Constitution (body of law; system of rules; regulations, fundamental principles, charter) mandates (instruct, direct, order, make necessary/mandatory) that the next inter-State (between states) delimitation be based on population figures (number, amount, data) from the first Census after 2026. The current distribution of Lok Sabha seats is based on the 1971 population spread. With the reference date (a well-defined point of time at which each and every person residing within the geographical boundary of the country with some specialized exemptions are enumerated and her/his individual particulars are collected is known as Reference date) for the Census set as March 1, 2027, for most of the country, this can pave the way for (clear the way for, make preparations for, put things in order for) the next delimitation exercise. States that have experienced (undergo, go through) lower population growth in recent decades (a period of ten years), particularly in the peninsular (describing a part of land surrounded by water on its three sides, but connected to the mainland) region, have expressed concern that their parliamentary representation will diminish (decrease, reduce, lessen, shrink, drop) if population becomes the sole (only) criterion for redistribution. The Centre has yet to clarify its stance (position, standpoint, point of view, opinion, approach, perspective) on this matter. With the Census now in motion (happening), it is imperative (vitally important, crucial, essential, necessary) for the Centre to engage with all stakeholders (a person with an interest in something) and build consensus (an idea or opinion that is shared by all the people in a group, agreement, concurrence, general opinion/view, common consent) on the sensitive issue of delimitation. Otherwise, the delay in the announcement of the Census will be taken to mean as an attempt to ensure that the ruling BJP benefits from the increased representation (the activity of making citizens’ voices, opinions, and perspectives “present” in public policy making processes) for the Hindi-speaking States.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.injustice (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अन्याय
English Meaning - lack of justice, unfairness, misdeed, unjust/unfair act; inequity, partiality, one-sidedness, discrimination.

2.census (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जनगणना
English Meaning - an official survey, particularly of a population.

3.welcome (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - स्वागतयोग्य
English Meaning - pleasing, agreeable, favourable, promising, much needed.

4.unjust (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अनुचित, अन्यायपूर्ण
English Meaning - biased, unfair, prejudiced; unreasonable, unjustifiable, groundless.

5.decadal (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दशकीय
English Meaning - relating to a period of ten years.

6.pandemic (noun)

Hindi Meaning - महामारी
English Meaning - the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.

7.apparently (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - जाहिर तौर पर, स्पष्ट रूप से
English Meaning - ostensibly, seemingly, evidently, allegedly, professedly, supposedly, purportedly.

8.motivation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रेरणा, प्रोत्साहन
English Meaning - motive, reason.

9.social security (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सामाजिक सुरक्षा
English Meaning - welfare, government/state benefit, public assistance.

10.vulnerable (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कमजोर, असुरक्षित
English Meaning - relating to a weak/neglected person who is in need of special care/support.

11.demographic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - जनसांख्यिकीय
English Meaning - relating to the statistical study/structure of populations, especially human beings.

12.administer (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशासन करना, प्रबंध करना
English Meaning - manage, control, operate, organize, handle.

13.enable (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सक्षम बनाना
English Meaning - make (something) possible.

14.dynamic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - गतिशील
English Meaning - effective, strong, powerful, potent, aggressive.

15.adoption (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अपनाना
English Meaning - the fact of choosing to use something.

16.heighten (verb)

English Meaning - increase, intensify, amplify, add to.

17.fuel (verb)

English Meaning - encourage, support, nurture, intensify, provoke.

18.the vulnerable (noun)

English Meaning - a weak/neglected person who is in need of special care/support.

19.rely on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - depend on, count on, bank on, lean on, resort to, or have recourse to.

20.thereby (adverb)

English Meaning - as a result of that; by that means.

21.regarding (preposition)

English Meaning - with regard to, with reference to, in terms of, concerning, as to, in connection with.

22.evolve (verb)

English Meaning - develop, advance, progress gradually.

23.transparency (noun)

English Meaning - clarity, straightforwardness, openness, honesty, unambiguity.

24.public trust (noun)

English Meaning - public confidence/belief in the reliability of something.

25.exercise (noun)

English Meaning - activity, task, operation, assignment.

26.household (noun)

English Meaning - family, house.

27.under way (phrase)

English Meaning - in progress, happening, occurring, taking place.

28.logistical (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to organization and planning of something.

29.anticipate (verb)

English Meaning - expect, look for, reckon on.

30.at a crossroads (phrase)

English Meaning - at a critical situation/stage where an important decision ought to be made

31.growing (adjective)

English Meaning - increasing.

32.indicator (noun)

English Meaning - measure, index, criterion, point of reference.

33.address (verb)

English Meaning - tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out.

34.enumerate (verb)

English Meaning - list, itemize, mention, count (things one by one).

35.socio-economic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the interaction of social (position, rank, or importance) and economic (income, pay, and wealth) aspects.

36.standing (noun)

English Meaning - status, position, rank.

37.potential (noun)

English Meaning - possibilities, potentiality, prospects, promise, capacity, capability, ability, power.

38.segmentation (noun)

English Meaning - division/separation into a different parts.

39.enumeration (noun)

English Meaning - the action of establishing the number of something; counting, numbering, tally.

40.a double-edged sword (phrase)

English Meaning - (used with a figurative meaning to explain) something which is having both good and bad outcomes.

41.upcoming (adjective)

English Meaning - forthcoming, approaching, impending, imminent, nearing.

42.delimitation (noun)

English Meaning - the act of establishing limits or boundaries in a Treaty, Judgement or other Agreement.

43.demarcation (noun)

English Meaning - the physical marking of the boundary on the ground.

44.constituency (noun)

English Meaning - the specific geographical area in which voters elect a representative to a legislative body.

45.constitution (noun)

English Meaning - body of law; system of rules; regulations, fundamental principles, charter.

46.The Constitution of India (noun)

English Meaning - India, also known as Bharat, is a Union of States. It is a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic with a parliamentary system of government. The Republic is governed in terms of the Constitution of India which was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26th November, 1949 and came into force on 26th January, 1950.

47.mandate (verb)

English Meaning - instruct, direct, order, make necessary/mandatory.

48.inter-State (adjective)

English Meaning - between states.

49.inter (prefix)

English Meaning - between.

50.figure (noun)

English Meaning - number, amount, data.

51.reference date (noun)

English Meaning - a well-defined point of time at which each and every person residing within the geographical boundary of the country with some specialized exemptions are enumerated and her/his individual particulars are collected is known as Reference date.

52.pave the way for (phrase)

English Meaning - clear the way for, make preparations for, put things in order for.

53.experience (verb)

English Meaning - undergo, go through.

54.decade (noun)

English Meaning - a period of ten years.

55.peninsular (adjective)

English Meaning - describing a part of land surrounded by water on its three sides, but connected to the mainland.

56.diminish (verb)

English Meaning - decrease, reduce, lessen, shrink, drop.

57.sole (adjective)

English Meaning - only.

58.criterion (noun)

English Meaning - basis, standard, norm, specification (criteria is the plural form of criterion).

59.stance (noun)

English Meaning - position, standpoint, point of view, opinion, approach, perspective.

60.in motion (phrase)

English Meaning - happening.

61.imperative (adjective)

English Meaning - vitally important, crucial, essential, necessary.

62.engage with (verb)

English Meaning - establish a significant connection with; become involved in, take part in, participate in, play a part in.

63.stakeholder (noun)

English Meaning - a person with an interest in something.

64.build on/upon (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - develop, enhance, expand on; use something as a basis/base for; be based on, rely on, turn to, trust in.

65.consensus (noun)

English Meaning - an idea or opinion that is shared by all the people in a group, agreement, concurrence, general opinion/view, common consent.

66.take to mean (phrase)

English Meaning - understand.

67.(political) representation (noun)

English Meaning - the activity of making citizens’ voices, opinions, and perspectives “present” in public policy making processes.