Question map
When was the first All India Census attempted?
Explanation
The first All India Census was attempted in 1872 under the administration of Lord Mayo [2]. Although the British government had initially planned for a general population census in 1861, it was delayed due to the dislocations caused by the 1857 rebellion. The 1872 exercise is officially recognized as the first population census in India, though it was non-synchronous, meaning it was conducted at different times across various provinces [2]. It was not until 1881, under Census Commissioner W.C. Plowden, that the first complete and synchronous census was conducted across the entire country [1]. Since 1881, the census has been held regularly every ten years [2]. Therefore, while 1881 marks the first synchronous census, 1872 remains the year of the first attempted All India Census.
Sources
- [1] CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 6: Population > Census > p. 48
- [2] INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition > POPULATION > p. 1