Census Data Research Workstation established at Nauni Varsity
2 min read
May 7, 2026
MoU signed with Directorate of Census Operations
In a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening data-driven research and policy analysis, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry and the Directorate of Census Operations Himachal Pradesh today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of a Census Data Research Workstation at the university campus.
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. With this development, the university has become the first institution in Himachal Pradesh to host such a workstation.
Speaking on the occasion, Dipshikha Sharma stated that the newly established workstation will provide qualified researchers with secure access to anonymized 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 specialized academic studies and evidence-based policy research. She further emphasized 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, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel said that the initiative marks 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 utilize 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 anonymized, 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, Assistant Director Pramod Mishra; Bhanu Pandey and Karan Bora.
