1. Population and Housing Census of Nepal: History, Lessons learned, and Initial planning for 2021 census
Mahesh Kumar Subedi & Prakash Poudyal
Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS)
Kathmandu, Nepal
United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2020 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses: International Standards and Contemporary Technologies,
8 – 11 May 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka

2. Nepal in Brief
A landlocked country in South Asia with geographical area 147,181 square kilometers.
Altitude ranges from 70 meters to 8,848 meters above sea level.
Population 26.4 million (2011), 1.35 % annual growth rate, and population density 180/square km.
125 caste/ethnic groups, 123 languages.
Projected population 28.8 million (2017)
The Constitution of Nepal (2015) has declared the country a Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.
7 Federal states, 753 local units Rural Municipalities and Urban Municipalities

3. Map of Nepal

4. History of Population Census in Nepal
First population count was undertaken in 1911 in Nepal.
The last 2011 Population Census was the 11th in the series population censuses
Four censuses before the 1952/54 census are known as “head counts”.
Modern census taking started from 1952/54
After 1961, a census has been taken in every ten years.
Used ‘modified de jure’ method for counting population
Censuses up to 1961 were manually processed and tabulated.
Computerized processing and tabulations initiated from Census.
Data capturing process is still manual.

5. Population and Housing Census 2011
The population census 2011 marks 100 years of population census taking in Nepal.
Follows 'Modified de' jure' method.
Preparation of EA maps began in 2009, two years before the census taking.
Household listing was done from 15 May 2011 for 2 weeks time.
Enumeration was done from 17 to 27 June 2011.
Census reference day was 22 June 2011.
Approximately 41,000 field staff (supervisor enumerator ratio was 1:4)
Data processing was done using CSPro.
Preliminary results with the total no. of households and sex-wise pop by districts were released in Sep 2011.

6. NPHC 2011Questionnaires
Household Listing Form (including agriculture & livestock information)
Schedule 1: Short form (100% enumeration)
Schedule 2: Long form (Sample basis; 8:1, household)
The 2 questionnaires model: Short Form and Long Form was started in Nepal from 2001 Population Census.

7. Key lessons learned from previous census
Financial resources should be decided in time so that census operation modalities, selection of technology and methodology could be fixed in advance to avoid uncertainties.
Number of census questions should be optimally determined. More than 50 questions were asked in 2011 census.
Open ended questions should strictly be minimized. Caste/ethnicity, religion, language, second language were put in census as open ended questions.
New technology of data capturing, such as ICR, OMR or CAPI, be adopted for easing data collection, capturing and processing.
Enumeration area (EA) maps should be prepared in time and use extensively for reducing coverage errors in the census.

8. Broad Plan for 2021 Census

9. Key Activities/Milestones
S.N.
Key Activities/Milestones
Timelines
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
PRE-CENSUS ACTIVITIES 1
Preparation of Census Project Document 2
Statistical Capacity Assessment 3
Census Budgeting 4
Establishing of Advisory Committees 5
Data User/Producer Consultation questionnaire content 6
Procurement 7
Selection of Technologies and Data Processing System

10. Key Activities/Milestones
S.N.
Key Activities/Milestones
Timelines
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
PRE-CENSUS ACTIVITIES 8
Questionnaire Design (based on multi-modal approach) 9
Cartographic activities 10
Pre-Test and Pilot Census 11
Setting up Census Data Processing Center and main Warehouse 12
Communication Campaign 13
Human resource management 14
Printing of Questionnaires or Acquisition/Procurement of Hardware 15
Development of Training Material 16
Training of Enumerators/Field Staff 17
Distribution of Census Material 18
Post Enumeration Survey Planning

11. Key Activities/Milestones
S.N.
Key Activities/Milestones
Timelines
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
CENSUS ENUMERATION 19
Household Listing Operation
Apr-May 20
Census Enumeration Complete
17-27 Jun 21
Post Enumeration Survey Complete
Sep

12. Key Activities/Milestones
S.N.
Key Activities/Milestones
Timelines
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
POST CENSUS 22
Data Processing
Jul-Sep 23
Data Analysis
Jul-Dec 24
Release of Preliminary Results
Sep 25
Dissemination of Final Results 26
Preparation of Monograph
Mar-Sep 27
Census Atlas
Mar-Nov 28
Nepal CensusInfo and Federal State Census Info
Mar-Apr

13. Way forward for next census
Prepare a detail plan- a Census Project Document
Strengthen institutional capacity as per federal set up
Decision on use of multi-model approach: paper questionnaire, CAPI, eCensus
Wide stakeholder consultation with data users, policy makers and academia
Decision on length of questionnaire and the key contents
Think of growing demands of disaggregated data and reporting of the various SDG indicators

14. THANK YOU!