Consistency between Vital Rates from Sample Registration System and Those Based on Census Age Returns: An Assessment Using the Variable – r Method

Suryakant Yadav, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Subrata Lahiri, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

The present study attempts to assess the consistency between vital rates from SRS and those based on census age returns using the variable-r approach. The procedure gives a very robust estimate of birth rate and a level of mortality for intercensal period. Census age returns is used to compute the estimates and for further comparison to SRS estimates. Estimates based on the procedure indicate heaping of age data in older age group. Estimates by gender differentials are also affected by heaping of data in older age group and age specific rates. Interestingly, true age distribution obtained from the procedure differs from both Census and SRS. Census has higher count in older age group, affecting the distribution. Overall, the procedure finds the possible discrepancy in both Census and SRS which are majorly attributable to age misstatement and differentials in age specific rates by gender.