Hyderabad: The University of Hyderabad (UoH) and the Telangana Directorate of Census Operations (DCO), Ministry of Home Affairs, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday, March 23, to establish a dedicated workstation for research on sample microdata from the Census.
In a move to reinforce data-driven policy analysis and academic rigor, this partnership marked a significant expansion of the research infrastructure available to the academic community in southern India, a press release issued by the university said.
The facility, located at the UoH’s School of Economics, was inaugurated by university leadership and senior government officials.
Initiative aimed at unlocking potential national datasets
The new workstation is designed to provide qualified researchers with secure access to anonymised, record-level census data. The initiative aims to unlock the potential of national datasets and allows for in-depth demographic studies.
The workstation also provides a customised analysis process that allows for the generation of cross-tabulations tailored to specific socio-economic research questions.
The initiative will increase policy impact with high-level statistical modeling to inform regional and national developmental strategies.
“This facility is not limited to university members; it is open to all qualified researchers,” the joint Steering Committee said.
A body comprising representatives from the School of Economics and the DCO will oversee approval of research proposals to ensure the proper utilisation of the facility.
Research infrastructure
Housed within a 1,000 square feet facility on the university’s East Campus, the workstation is equipped with high-end computing, advanced analytics and security protocols.
The DCO, Telangana, operates under the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India (ORG&CCI). It is responsible for conducting the decennial population census, registering births and deaths and managing the National Population Register (NPR).
