Civil Registration System

 

Registration of births and deaths is an important source for demographic data for socio-economic development and population control in developing countries. Civil Registration System is a continuous, permanent and compulsory recording of the occurrence and characteristics of vital events.  In the beginning the registration of births and deaths started on voluntary basis and there was no uniformity in statistical returns resulting in both under registration and incomplete coverage.  In order to unify the civil registration activities, the Civil Registration System was introduced in India under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act (RBD Act), 1969.

The Registration of Births and Deaths Act 1969  (Central Act 18 of 1969) came into force in Kerala on 1^st April 1970 by the Government of India Gazette notification dated 21^st march 1970 along with many other states. The Kerala Registration of Births and Deaths Rules 1970 published in G.O.(P)No.7/70/LAD dated 29^th June 1970 by S.R.O.No.262/70 Gazette dated 1^st July 1970 have been approved by the Government of India under section 10(1) of the said Act. In tune with the newly introduced system ,the Registration of Births and Deaths Rules 1970 was replaced with the new rules, viz  Kerala Registration of Births and Deaths Rules 1999 and it was published as per the order G.O .(P)No.8/2000/LSGD dated 06/01/2000.

            Director of Panchayath is the Chief Registrar of Birth  and Deaths in Kerala and   the Chief  executive authority for  implementing the provisions  of the Registration of Birth and Death Act. Chief Registrar will be assisted by a Deputy Chief Registrar.  The Additional Director of Economics and Statistics is designated as the Additional Chief Registrar’ of Births and Deaths.  A Deputy Chief Registrar, Deputy Director of Economics and Statistics, assists him. The local registrars of births and deaths appointed under this act are doing actual work of the registration. At the District level, Deputy Director of Panchayaths, secretaries of Municipalities and Corporations are empowered as the District Registrar of Births and Deaths. The Secretaries of Grama Panchayaths, health inspectors and health officers of Municipalities and Corporations and the executive officer of Kannur Cantonment are the local Registrar of the concerned registration units.

Spot Check Survey

The objective of the survey is to estimate the under registration of vital events in the selected Municipalities/Corporations and to work out the actual vital rates of these areas and to estimate the residential vital rates of these municipalities/corporation. At present the scheme is implemented in 5 corporations and 29 municipalities. Annual report of “Residential Vital Rates of Municipalities/Corporations has been prepared by the Vital Statistics Division of the Directorate.  

 

 Sample Registration System

The registration of births & deaths is a statutory activity performed under the provision of RBD act 1969. Even though the registration is compulsory, the level of registration has continued to far from satisfactory in several States/Union Territories. With a view to generate reliable and continuous data on vital indicators, the office of the RGI initiated the scheme Sample Registration System in 1964-65 on a pilot basis and on full scales from 1969-70 onwards. It is known as the major demographic sample survey in the country. The Office of the Registrar General of India selects the sample units for the survey.  Revision of SRS sampling frame is undertaken in every ten years based on the results of latest census. At present the revision of the sampling frame is going to be changed as per the latest Census 2011. In Kerala there are 280 samples consisting of 175 rural and 105 urban units. The implementations of the survey in rural samples are entrusted with Department of Economics and Statistics.

 The main objective is to provide reliable estimates of birth rate, death rate, infant mortality rate etc. for the rural and urban areas of the state. It also provides the data for other measures of fertility and mortality including total fertility, infant and child mortality rates etc.

 

 

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