Census data research workstation opens at Nauni horticulture varsity

In a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening data-driven research and policy analysis, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry and the Himachal Pradesh Directorate of Census Operations on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a census data research workstation on the university campus.

Vice-Chancellor Rajeshwar Singh Chandel and Dipshikha Sharma, Director of Census Operations, Himachal Pradesh, signed the MoU after which the census data research workstation was formally inaugurated. With this development, the university has become the first institution in the state to host such a workstation.

Speaking on the occasion, Dipshikha stated that the newly established workstation would provide qualified researchers with secure access to anonymised census micro-data, enabling them to undertake advanced demographic and socio-economic research. She noted that researchers would be able to generate cross-tabulations and analytical insights from the data, opening new avenues for specialised academic studies and evidence-based policy research. She further said that the facility would not be restricted to university scholars alone but would also be accessible to all eligible researchers.

Expressing gratitude to the Directorate of Census Operations, VC Chandel said the initiative marked an important step towards strengthening research and public knowledge systems. He expressed confidence that the workstation would empower scholars to conduct impactful research using authentic national datasets. Highlighting the importance of evidence-based research, Prof Chandel encouraged researchers and students to fully utilise the opportunities provided through census micro-data for meaningful academic and policy-oriented studies.

Earlier, Dr Sudhir Verma welcomed the guests and briefed the gathering about the objectives and significance of the facility. The newly established workstation is designed to provide qualified researchers with secure access to anonymised, record-level census data, facilitating in-depth demographic and socio-economic studies and access to data points not generally available in public.

The event was attended by the university’s statutory officers, heads of departments, faculty members, and officials from the Directorate of Census Operations, including joint directors Pankaj Kumar Sinha and Ashish Chauhan.