Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has started a Census Data Research Workstation to promote evidence-based research and policy analysis, becoming the first institution in Himachal Pradesh to host such a facility.
The workstation was established after the university signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Directorate of Census Operations, Himachal Pradesh, on Thursday. The MoU was signed between Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel and Dipshikha Sharma, Director of Census Operations, Himachal Pradesh.
Following the signing ceremony, the Census Data Research Workstation was formally inaugurated at the university campus. The facility has been set up to provide researchers secure access to anonymised census micro-data for advanced demographic and socio-economic studies.
Speaking on the occasion, Dipshikha Sharma said the workstation would enable qualified researchers to undertake detailed analysis using record-level census data. She said researchers would be able to generate cross-tabulations and analytical insights that could support specialised academic studies and evidence-based policymaking.
She added that the facility would not be limited to scholars of the university alone and would also be accessible to other eligible researchers.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel described the initiative as an important step towards strengthening research and public knowledge systems. He said access to authentic national datasets would help scholars carry out impactful and meaningful studies in various fields.
Highlighting the importance of data-driven research, Prof. Chandel encouraged students and researchers to fully utilize the opportunities provided through census micro-data for academic and policy-oriented studies.
Earlier, Dr Sudhir Verma welcomed the guests and explained the objectives and significance of the newly established workstation.
University authorities said the facility has been designed to provide secure access to anonymised census data that is generally not available in the public domain. The workstation is expected to support detailed studies related to demographics, migration, socio-economic trends and other important development indicators.
