CAPF AC 2022 Q116: Modern History – British Administration & Economic Policies
- (a) 1871
- (b) 1872
- (c) 1881
- (d) 1861
Answer: (b) 1872
Explanation
The first all-India census
How to think: remember two years.
The first attempt at an all-India census was in 1872, under Lord Mayo.
It was not done everywhere at the same time.
The first regular (synchronous) census was in 1881, under Lord Ripon.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1872 | First all-India census attempted (Lord Mayo) |
| 1881 | First regular decennial census (Lord Ripon); held every ten years since |
| 1921 | The Year of the Great Divide: only census to show a fall in population |
| 2011 | Fifteenth census; population 121 crore |
Today: the census is a Union List subject, held under the Census Act, 1948.
It is run by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Answer: (b) 1872.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. 1871 is close, but the census was taken in 1872.
- (b) CORRECT. The first all-India census was attempted in 1872.
- (c) Incorrect. 1881 was the first regular decennial census, not the first attempt.
- (d) Incorrect. No all-India census was held in 1861.
Key point
NCERT: the first all-India census was attempted in 1872; from 1881 decennial censuses became a regular feature. 1872: Lord Mayo. 1881: Lord Ripon, Census Commissioner W. C. Plowden. 1921: year of the great divide.
Remember
1872: first attempt. 1881: first regular census.
Common mistakes
- Marking 1881, the first regular census, for the first attempt.
- Guessing 1871 because census years today end in 1.
- Linking the first census with Lord Ripon instead of Lord Mayo.
Exam tip
Educated guess: the word attempted is the clue. The trial run came in 1872; the proper series began in 1881.
Sources
- NCERT Class XII History — Themes in Indian History Part III, Chapter 12: Colonial Cities (census data)
- Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India — History of the Indian Census