Central University of Tamil Nadu and Directorate of Census Operation Collaborate to Enhance Research on Census Data
In a significant stride towards advancing the utilization of census data for research and academic excellence, the Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN) and the Office of the Directorate of Census Operations, Registrar General, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi, joined hands to inaugurate a state-of-the-art Workstation for Research on Census Data at the Department of Geography, School of Earth Sciences, CUTN.
This collaborative effort was initiated following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CUTN and the Directorate of Census Operations, on 10 May 2023, in the presence of Prof. M. Krishnan, Vice Chancellor of Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur. The MoU paved the way for the establishment of a dedicated research facility focused on census data.
The Workstation for Research on Census Data was officially inaugurated on Thursday by Sanjeev Kumar ISS, Additional Registrar General, Office of Registrar General India. During the inauguration, Mr. Kumar emphasized the vital role of census data in shaping marketing strategies and its significance in academic research. He reassured that individual data remains confidential and anonymized, and the anonymized microdata is provided to various workstations across state and central educational institutions for research. The newly established workstation at CUTN is the 29th of its kind and is expected to contribute valuable insights for policy formulation.
Addressing the gathering, Sajjansingh R Chavan I.A.S, Director, Directorate of Census Operations, Tamil Nadu, Government of India, emphasized the immense potential of microdata for academicians, enabling them to publish research papers enriched with data. He highlighted the primary objective of the workstation, which is to empower qualified researchers to leverage micro-level census data for in-depth research, while maintaining stringent anonymization protocols to safeguard sensitive information.
Prof R Thirumurugan, Registrar of CUTN, highlighted the workstation’s unique capabilities, providing access to sample microdata at both national and state levels. This resource enables researchers from various disciplines across the country to do multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, offering advanced demographic insights to stakeholders.
Prof. Sulochana Shekhar, Dean, School of Earth Sciences, expressed her warm welcome to the distinguished guests and celebrated the collaboration as a pivotal step towards unlocking the potential of census data for research and decision-making. This partnership between CUTN and the Ministry of Home Affairs is anticipated to foster a thriving research ecosystem, facilitating informed policymaking, academic progress, and social development.
The inaugural session was attended by statutory officers of CUTN, including Prof. R. Nagarajan and Dr. R. Parameshwaran, as well as senior faculty members, Prof. Gopalan from Epidemiology and Public Health and Prof. Gurubalamurugan from Geology and Dr Arun Prasad from Geography and Ms. Subha VK Deputy Director Census Operation Tamil Nadu. Following the inaugural event, a series of technical lectures were conducted to train participants in the use of micro-level census data for research.