🎯What is the basic difference between a Census and a Sample Survey?

🎯What is the basic difference between a Census and a Sample Survey?

Answer: A Census is a complete enumeration of every individual or unit in the population. It collects information from 100% of the population.A Sample Survey, on the other hand, collects information only from a subset of the population (a sample), and uses statistical inference to estimate characteristics of the entire population.

Key Differences:

Basis	Census	Sample Survey
Coverage	Entire population	Selected portion of population
Cost & Time	Expensive and time-consuming	Economical and faster
Accuracy	High (if done carefully)	Depends on sample design and size
Practicality	Feasible only for small populations or once in a decade	Feasible for frequent and large-scale studies

Example:

• The Census of India (conducted every 10 years) is a census.

• The NSSO Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is a sample survey, conducted quarterly.

Why it matters: A sample survey allows policymakers to get regular and timely updates without waiting for the next census, making it ideal for planning and monitoring schemes.

Follow-up Question:

→ When the population size is small or when very high accuracy is required (for example, population count, literacy rate, etc.).