By: Dr. Vidya Bir Singh Kansakar
Original Source: PDF File
Though no historical record is available regarding any population census in the past, yet counting of houses was practiced prior to the Lichhavi period. The existence of `Guthis' (Co-operative Societies) in the Kathmandu Valley, which sought help from each and every household in time and need is the clear indication of such practice. Before the conquest of the Kathmandu Valley by King Prithvinarayan Shah, the number of houses in the towns of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur was supposed to be 22,000, 24,000 and 12,000 respectively.
The Kingdom of Gorkha at that time was known as `Barahazar Ghare' (Twelve Thousand Houses). After the Anglo-Nepal peace treaty of 1816 and the subsequent demarcation of Nepal's boundary with India, the then Government seems to have maintained records of the number of houses in different districts. At the second decade of the 19th century, on the basis of the information on number of houses, provided by an official of the Nepalese Government, Fraser estimated the population of Nepal as 3,661,200.
Historians say that Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa conducted population census for war purposes and moreover, Brian H. Hodgson, British Resident in Nepal at that time had remarked that the valley of Nepal (Kathmandu Valley) at that time was densely populated with a population of 350,000. However, the data on population as provided by the Nepal Government and as estimated by the Britishers was always conflicting. In order to establish and develop trade with Nepal, the British Government wanted to know the population of the country. In absence of population census in Nepal, the British Government estimated the population to be two million in 1879, while the Nepalese claim was five million. Prior to that Oldfield had already estimated it to be four million and termed the Nepalese figure of five million as intentional exaggeration.
The need for ascertaining the population of Nepal became more important for the British Government in order to assess the potential market for its manufactured goods on the one hand and the availability of eligible hillmen for recruitment in its army. At the beginning of the present century, Vansittart also maintained the figure of Oldfield, while the Nepalese estimate was between 5,200,000 to 5,600,000 persons.
The census of 1911 with a population of 5,636,749 persons indicates that the estimate of Nepal Government was very much nearer to truth. However, upto the end of the nineteenth century the plan of the different Governments to conduct population census in the country remained still-born.
Prime Minister Chandra Shumshere established the precedence of population census for the first time in Nepal in 1911. Nepal seems to have copied this precedence from India, which had already started decennial census as early as 1872. The Government notification of 1910 regarding population census is not available. The notification of the 1920 seems to conduct population census at an interval of ten years.
Under-enumeration has also been cited as one of the main causes of population decline. The main reason behind the second census to prepare inventory of the slaves in the country.
In 1950, when preparation for nation-wide population census was in progress, population uprising against the oligarchic and autocratic Rana regime brought the task of population census to a standstill. The resulting democratic Government realized the need of population census, when there were frequent requests by the international organizations for the data on population of Nepal. As the census had to be undertaken immediately and as the men and materials required were inadequate, the population census of the Eastern Nepal which includes the Eastern Hills, the Eastern Inner Terai and the Eastern Terai with the exception of Mahottari was carried out in 1952 and the rest of the country including Mahottari in 1954. The Government notification regarding the 1952 census highlighted the objective of nation-wide census to assess the population of the country to formulate the national development plan.
The census of 1952/54 is preceded by population census Act 1952. It also had comprehensive instructions to the supervisors regarding census period, methods of filling up census schedule, definition, training for the enumerators, administrative responsibilities, etc. The population census of 1952/54 is regarded as the benchmark of the modern scientific census in Nepal and it incorporated most of the schedules prepared and proposed by the United Nations for comparative study with other countries of the world.
In between 1942 and 1952/54, the country recorded the growth rate of 2.89 percent, the highest rate of growth ever recorded since 1911 to 1971. The highest growth rate recorded in the Eastern Terai is the clear indication of under-enumeration in 1942. The high growth rate in the hills despite heavy casualty of 24,000 Gurkhas in the World War II indicates under enumeration in 1942. The high growth rate might be related to large-scale return of the Nepalese from Burma in 1942 when the Japanese overran Burma, and from newly created Pakistan after the Partition of India in 1947. But the most important factor for high growth rate seem to be the return of large number of Nepalese exiled during the Rana regime.
Though no historical record is available regarding any population census in the past, yet counting of houses was practiced prior to the Lichhavi period. The existence of `Guthis' (Co-operative Societies) in the Kathmandu Valley, which sought help from each and every household in time and need is the clear indication of such practice. Before the conquest of the Kathmandu Valley by King Prithvinarayan Shah, the number of houses in the towns of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur was supposed to be 22,000, 24,000 and 12,000 respectively.
The Kingdom of Gorkha at that time was known as `Barahazar Ghare' (Twelve Thousand Houses). After the Anglo-Nepal peace treaty of 1816 and the subsequent demarcation of Nepal's boundary with India, the then Government seems to have maintained records of the number of houses in different districts. At the second decade of the 19th century, on the basis of the information on number of houses, provided by an official of the Nepalese Government, Fraser estimated the population of Nepal as 3,661,200.
Historians say that Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa conducted population census for war purposes and moreover, Brian H. Hodgson, British Resident in Nepal at that time had remarked that the valley of Nepal (Kathmandu Valley) at that time was densely populated with a population of 350,000. However, the data on population as provided by the Nepal Government and as estimated by the Britishers was always conflicting. In order to establish and develop trade with Nepal, the British Government wanted to know the population of the country. In absence of population census in Nepal, the British Government estimated the population to be two million in 1879, while the Nepalese claim was five million. Prior to that Oldfield had already estimated it to be four million and termed the Nepalese figure of five million as intentional exaggeration.
The need for ascertaining the population of Nepal became more important for the British Government in order to assess the potential market for its manufactured goods on the one hand and the availability of eligible hillmen for recruitment in its army. At the beginning of the present century, Vansittart also maintained the figure of Oldfield, while the Nepalese estimate was between 5,200,000 to 5,600,000 persons.
THE FIRST CENSUS 1911 (1068 B.S.)
The census of 1911 with a population of 5,636,749 persons indicates that the estimate of Nepal Government was very much nearer to truth. However, upto the end of the nineteenth century the plan of the different Governments to conduct population census in the country remained still-born.
Prime Minister Chandra Shumshere established the precedence of population census for the first time in Nepal in 1911. Nepal seems to have copied this precedence from India, which had already started decennial census as early as 1872. The Government notification of 1910 regarding population census is not available. The notification of the 1920 seems to conduct population census at an interval of ten years.
SECOND CENSUS 1920 (1978 B.S.)
There was nowhere the indication of the objective and importance of the census. Thus it seems that the census fulfilled the long cherished desire of the British Government to procure data on population of Nepal so as to assess potential market for its manufactured goods and also the availability of eligible Nepalese hillmen to be recruited in its army to maintain its world wide network of empire. Since the population census was the first of its kind in Nepal, the then Prime Minister took keen interest in it and as such the census of 1911 is regarded as most reliable than those up to 1942. However, in absence of national objective behind population census, the succeeding censuses up to 1942 is marked by reliable data. The second census, which was conducted in 1920 after a lapse of nine years', indicated an absolute decline in the population of Nepal over 1911. The decline has been attributed to death due to influenza epidemic of 1917 and high death tell of the Gurkhas in the World War I in which 200,000 Gurkhas representing 20 percent of the eligible male population of the country took part and the death tell was 20,000 persons – one in every ten.Under-enumeration has also been cited as one of the main causes of population decline. The main reason behind the second census to prepare inventory of the slaves in the country.
THIRD CENSUS 1942 ( B.S.)
The third census which was conducted in 1930, further marked absolute decline in the population of the country. Under-enumeration seems to be the main cause behind this decline. As the country could not visualise and evaluate the advantages of the past censuses and moreover, the non-publication of the report on second census, resulted in the lethargic approach towards the third census. Again the harassment method to the respondents by the enumerators to extort money in the previous censuses refrained people from actively participation in the succeeding censuses. There had been strict instruction to the enumerators in 1920 and 1941 regarding the evil practices of extorting money from the respondents. Moreover, in 1929 Nepal was preparing for war against Tibet over the issue of a Nepali citizen beaten to death by Tibetan Officials while in custody in Tibet. The then Prime Minister had issued an order to mobilize men and materials and it seemed that the war was inevitable. Fear of compulsory conscription seems to have resulted in very poor response in the census of 1930. The fear of conscription might have been the main cause behind drastic decline in the population of the Kathmandu Valley which declined from 3,06,909 persons in 1920 to 262,233 persons in 1930, a decline of 44,676 persons or the declining rate of growth of –1.56 percent per annum. However, the Nepal-Tibet war was averted by the timely intervention and mediation of the British Government. The Census of 1942 shows a marked increase in the population of Nepal for the first time since 1911. The population increased from 5,532,574 in 1930 to 6,286,649 persons in 1942, an increase of 754,649 persons or 1.16 percent per annum. The inter-censal period was marked by the great earthquake of 1934 with a casualty figure of 8,591 persons in the country and secondly, the World War II was continuing and thousands and thousands of Nepalese were being recruited and sent to the war fronts. It is but natural that conscription of men for war should have affected the population of the hill in particular. However, it is quite surprising to note that the small growth rate, which should characterize the hills, the main source of recruitment, is to be found in the Terai. For example the growth rate of population between 1930 to 1942 is 1.80 percent per annum in the hills and 0.03 in the Terai. Thus the population census of 1942 is marked by over-enumeration in the hills and underenumeration in the Terai.FOURTH CENSUS
In 1950, when preparation for nation-wide population census was in progress, population uprising against the oligarchic and autocratic Rana regime brought the task of population census to a standstill. The resulting democratic Government realized the need of population census, when there were frequent requests by the international organizations for the data on population of Nepal. As the census had to be undertaken immediately and as the men and materials required were inadequate, the population census of the Eastern Nepal which includes the Eastern Hills, the Eastern Inner Terai and the Eastern Terai with the exception of Mahottari was carried out in 1952 and the rest of the country including Mahottari in 1954. The Government notification regarding the 1952 census highlighted the objective of nation-wide census to assess the population of the country to formulate the national development plan.
The census of 1952/54 is preceded by population census Act 1952. It also had comprehensive instructions to the supervisors regarding census period, methods of filling up census schedule, definition, training for the enumerators, administrative responsibilities, etc. The population census of 1952/54 is regarded as the benchmark of the modern scientific census in Nepal and it incorporated most of the schedules prepared and proposed by the United Nations for comparative study with other countries of the world.
In between 1942 and 1952/54, the country recorded the growth rate of 2.89 percent, the highest rate of growth ever recorded since 1911 to 1971. The highest growth rate recorded in the Eastern Terai is the clear indication of under-enumeration in 1942. The high growth rate in the hills despite heavy casualty of 24,000 Gurkhas in the World War II indicates under enumeration in 1942. The high growth rate might be related to large-scale return of the Nepalese from Burma in 1942 when the Japanese overran Burma, and from newly created Pakistan after the Partition of India in 1947. But the most important factor for high growth rate seem to be the return of large number of Nepalese exiled during the Rana regime.
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