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ABSTRACT
The population census is probably the most prolific and fundamental source of information (Datta, 2011) about a nation, providing data on population, employment, labour force, age distribution, fertility, mortality and migration. In India census is the main source of data on migration. The other sources providing migration information are Bureau of Immigration, Protector General of Emigrants (Ministry of Labour), Ministry Of External Affairs, and National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO). All these sources have their own method of data collection and limitation too. This present study is devoted to focus on scope and limitation of migration data obtained from Indian census only.
Migration data are obtained on the basis of usual questions asked at the time of census. These questions are mainly on place of birth, place of last residence, duration of residence on specific date before the census. On the basis of answers of these questions migrants are defined as those, whose place of birth or place of last residence differ from place of enumeration. Population Censuses have been the main source of information on population movements. Office of the Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner (RGI) collects and publishes migration statistics as part of decennial Population Census. Information collected on place of birth has been the main criterion to identify the migrant's since 1872. However, from 1981 population census information on place of last residence was also collected to identify the migrants.
Data on migration including international migration are published in the census reports titled 'Migration Tables, D-Series' (RGI, 2001a). Latest publications on D-series are based on 2001 population census. The series contains different volumes relating to migration statistics for All India and different States/UTs. Data on migration characteristics like place of birth, place of last residence, reason for migration and duration of residence at the place of enumeration are available through these tables. Data on educational level, economic activity and age distribution of the migrants are also available in these tables. Though census of 2011 is over migration volume has not yet been published. It will take much time since data on migration volume D is the last volume. Any soft copy is also not available at present. Hence in the present study our discussion will be limited up to...