In any democracy, it is critical for the government to collect data in a timely and accurate manner. No data means no accountability.
India’s Data Blackout: No Data Means No Accountability - The Wire
The decennial Census, which was conducted in India without a break for 150 years, has not been held since 2011. Estimates suggest that more than 10 crore people have been left out of the ambit of the food security net due to the 2021 Census not being conducted.
The absence of updated census figures also fuels misinformation and disinformation in society. It is impossible to verify the authenticity of claims made for political gains about the disproportionate increase in population of religious minorities, improvement in sex ratio etc.
Even in cases where data has been collected, there have been very serious concerns about its accuracy. A huge controversy engulfed the data on the number of deaths in the country during COVID.
A report by IndiaSpend showed that at the end of 2024, 16 critical datasets were delayed and nine ministries had not released their annual reports. Among the delayed datasets were the ‘Crime in India’ report, which provides crucial information on crime statistics including figures on cybercrimes, crimes against women and children, and the ‘All India Survey on Higher Education’. Both were last published in 2022.
Availability of objective data empowers people to question the government’s functioning and query the propaganda and claims made by those in power. Data enables critical citizens’ engagement and ensures accountability of those who govern.
by Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri and Sindhu Koshy