Civil Registration System

The Central government is planning to revamp the Civil Registration System (CRS) to enable the registration of birth and death in real-time.

About the ‘Civil Registration System’ in India –

• With the enactment of the Registration of Births and Death Act (RBD Act) in 1969, the registration of births, deaths and still births have become mandatory in India.
• The Registrar General, India (RGI) at the Central Government level coordinates and unifies the activities of registration throughout the country. The Chief Registrar is mandated to publish a statistical report on the registered births and deaths during the year.
• However, implementation of the statute is vested with the State Governments. The registration of births and deaths in the country is done by the functionaries appointed by the State Governments.

Proposed amendment to the RBDA, 1969 –

• The RGI that functions under the MHA has proposed amendment to the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
• This amendment will enable it to maintain the database of registered birth and deaths at the national level.
• According to the proposed amendment, the database may be used to update the Population Register, Electoral Register, Aadhar, Ration Card, Passport and Driving License databases.

About Registrar General of India –

• It is under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Apart from conducting the Population Census and monitoring the implementation of the Registration of Births and Deaths in the country, it has been giving estimates on fertility and mortality using the Sample Registration System (SRS).
• SRS is the largest demographic sample survey in the country that among other indicators provide direct estimates of maternal mortality through a nationally representative sample.