Census of India 2011 Data on Disability

Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India New Delhi, 27-12-2013

The Indian Census is the most credible source of information on Demography (Population characteristics), Economic Activity, Literacy and Education, Housing & Household Amenities, Urbanization, Fertility and Mortality, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Language, Religion, Migration, Disability and many other socio-cultural and demographic data since 1872. Census 2011 will be the 15th National Census of the Country. This is the only source of primary data in the village, town and ward level, It provides valuable information for planning and formulation policies for Central and the State Governments and is widely used by National and International Agencies, Scholars, business people, industrialists, and many more.

  1. The present set of results pertains to data collected in the Census 2011 on disability
  2. Information on disability of individuals was collected during the Population Enumeration phase of Census 2011 through ‘Household Schedule’. Similar information was collected during 2001 census also. Information for individuals residing in ‘Normal’, ‘Institutional’ and ‘Houseless’ households were collected.
  3. The table C-20- ‘Disabled by age-group and type of disability’ has been generated on the basis of processing 100% Census Schedules.
    1. Attempts to collect information on eight types of disabilities as against five in Census 2001.
    2. Designed to cover most of the disabilities listed in the “Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995” and “The National Trust Act, 1999”.

Definitional Changes 2001-11


Type of disability

Change in definition

In Seeing

One eyed persons were treated as disabled at Census 2001.
At the Census 2011 such persons have not been treated as disabled in seeing.
At the Census 2011 enumerators were asked to apply a simple test to ascertain blurred vision.
At Census 2001 no such instructions were given.

In Hearing

Persons using hearing aid have been treated as disabled at Census 2011. They were not treated as disabled at the Census 2001.
Persons having problem in hearing through one ear although the other ear is functioning normally was considered having hearing disability in Census 2001. But in Census 2011, such persons were not considered as disabled.

In Speech

Definition was made clearer in Census 2011 to record persons with speech disability. For instance, “persons who speak in single words and are not able to speak in sentences” was specifically mentioned to be treated as disabled.

In Movement

Specific mention of the following was made in the definition for Census 2011:
Paralytic persons
Those who crawl
Those who are able to walk with the help of aid
Have acute and permanent problems of joints/muscles
Have stiffness or tightness in movement or have loose, involuntary movements or tremours of the body or have fragile bones
Have difficulty balancing and coordinating body movement
Have loss of sensation in body due to paralysis, Leprosy etc.
Have deformity of body like hunch back or are dwarf.

Mental Retardation

New category introduced at Census 2011. Mental Retardation was covered under the category of Mental disability at Census 2001.

Mental Illness

New category introduced at Census 2011. Mental Illness was covered under the category of Mental disability at Census 2001.

Any Other

New category introduced at Census 2011 to ensure complete coverage. This option enabled respondents to report those disabilities which are not listed in the question. In such cases, where informant was not sure about the type of disability this option of reporting disability as ‘Any Other’ was available to her/him.

Multiple Disability

New category introduced at Census 2011. The question has been designed to record as many as three types of disabilities from which the individual was reported to be suffering.

 

Disabled Population by Sex and Residence, India, 2011

Residence

Persons

Males

Females

Total

26,810,557

14,986,202

11,824,355

Rural

18,631,921

10,408,168

8,223,753

Urban

8,178,636

4,578,034

3,600,602

Percentage of Disabled to total population India, 2011

Residence

Persons

Males

Females

Total

2.21

2.41

2.01

Rural

2.24

2.43

2.03

Urban

2.17

2.34

1.98

Disabled Population by Type of Disability India : 2011

Type of Disability

Persons

Males

Females

Total

26,810,557

14,986,202

11,824,355

In Seeing

5,032,463

2,638,516

2,393,947

In Hearing

5,071,007

2,677,544

2,393,463

In Speech

1,998,535

1,122,896

875,639

In Movement

5,436,604

3,370,374

2,066,230

Mental Retardation

1,505,624

870,708

634,916

Mental Illness

722,826

415,732

307,094

Any Other

4,927,011

2,727,828

2,199,183

Multiple Disability

2,116,487

1,162,604

953,883

Source of Information: Census of India Website
For details on Census on Disability -2011: Census of India Website