Census of Population and Housing 2001

Training

The training of the Census staff was a three tiered process. In the first tier, the master trainers were trained. They were the senior officers of the DCS in the ranks from Statisticians to Deputy Directors.

The second tier was the training of the trainers by the master trainers. The trainers were the statistical officers of the DCS and who were entrusted with the task of training all supervisors and enumerators. The third tier was the training of supervisors and about 120,000 strong army of enumerators.

The census was carried out in 4 stages:

Stage-1) Mapping Operation - (From January to December 2000)
GN divisions (Grama Niladhari) are the lowest administrative units in the country. To avoid omissions or duplications of building units or any individuals GN maps were drawn with clear boundaries. As the GN divisions are too large to handle in a census operation they were subdivided into smaller area units called the 'Census Block'. Around 60 housing units and /or other building units in the rural sector and around 80 housing units and/or other building units in the urban sector comprised a census block. In the mapping operation the census block maps were also marked in the GN division maps.

Stage-2) Listing Operation (February and March 2001)
Based on the maps prepared, a building unit or part of a building unit is identified and categorized as follows:
(1) Housing Unit
(2) Collective living quarter
(3) Institution
(4) Non-housing unit

All of the above categories were listed in a Pre-Listing Form (F1) during the listing operation together with additional information such as number of residents, whether there is agricultural activity or a business is going on and so forth. This list with additional information would provide the basic frame for the censuses and various surveys, which will be conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, during the next ten years.

Stage-3) Preliminary Census (From 25th June to 5th July 2001)
In this stage, the enumerators collected information pertaining to every individual who usually live in the household using the Population and Housing Schedule. Each 'Census Block' was assigned to an enumerator. There were around 120,000 enumerators throughout the country. In addition to the population data, information on housing and household were also collected from each housing unit and collective living quarter on a 100 percent basis.

At the time of recording a persons' individual information to the 'Population and Housing Schedule (F3)', if a physically or mentally disabled person were found in the household, enumerator completed 'Schedule for Disabled Persons(F4)' for that person after completing population and housing schedule for the household.

Stage-4) The Final Census (17th July 2001, 6.00 p.m. to 12.00 mid night)
The time of census taking was adjusted in certain areas depending on the prevailing ground situation in that area. The referred date for the final census is the final date and all information relating to each individual was collected from 6.00 pm on the 17th July 2001.
The final census enumeration was carried out as a direct check on the persons enumerated in the preliminary census, in order to ensure that no person is missed or enumerated more than once. In particular a person found in any unit is classified into:
1). A usual resident and actually present
2). A usual resident but temporarily absent (excluding those who were abroad)
3). A household member but currently abroad
4). A non-usual resident but temporarily present on the census night.

If the enumerator finds a person in a household belonging to a category (4), then his/her particulars are recorded in the census schedule pertaining to that household.

Special arrangements were made to enumerate people staying outdoors on the final census night. Places like barracks/camps of forces, hospitals, large hostels etc. were covered by officers selected for the purpose from their own places.

The method of enumeration was “de facto” basis.