Regarding the all India Census in India, which of the following statements about its beginning and frequency are correct?

Introduction / Context:
The all India Census is a crucial source of demographic, social, and economic data for planning and policy making. Understanding when it was first attempted and how regularly it has been conducted is an important part of Indian polity and administrative history. This question asks you to evaluate three specific statements about the Indian Census and decide which combination is correct.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Statement 1: The all India Census was first attempted in 1872.
• Statement 2: It has been regularly undertaken since 1881.
• Statement 3: It has always been undertaken as a five year exercise.
• The options combine these statements in different ways, and you must choose the correct combination.

Concept / Approach:
To answer, you must know the historical development of the census in India. The first synchronous, modern style census for all of British India was conducted in 1881. An earlier attempt was made in 1872, but it was not conducted on a single reference date throughout the country. After 1881, censuses have been held regularly at intervals of ten years, not five years. Therefore, statements 1 and 2 are correct, while statement 3 is clearly incorrect. This leads you to pick the option that includes 1 and 2 only.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Assess statement 1. Historical records show that 1872 marked the first attempt at an all India Census, though it was not fully synchronous. So statement 1 is correct. Step 2: Assess statement 2. From 1881 onwards, India has conducted censuses at regular intervals. Thus, it is true that the census has been regularly undertaken since 1881. Step 3: Assess statement 3. In practice, the decennial census in India is held every ten years, not every five years. So the claim of a five year exercise is incorrect. Step 4: Combine the results. Statements 1 and 2 are correct, and statement 3 is incorrect. Step 5: From the options, the combination that reflects this evaluation is 1 and 2 only.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling that census years in India follow a ten year pattern: 1881, 1891, 1901, and so on, with recent examples being 1991, 2001, and 2011. This confirms that the exercise is decennial, not quinquennial. Historical notes on the census also clearly mention that 1872 was an experimental or first attempt and 1881 was the first regular all India Census, thereby validating statements 1 and 2.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1 only: This ignores the fact that from 1881 the census has been conducted regularly, so it is incomplete.

2 and 3 only: This option wrongly accepts statement 3, which contradicts the actual ten year frequency of the census.
1, 2 and 3: This option treats all three statements as correct, but statement 3 is clearly incorrect because India does not follow a five year census cycle.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to confuse the five year plan cycle with the census cycle and assume that both follow the same schedule. Some learners also misremember 1872 as the first regular census rather than as an initial attempt. To avoid such confusion, keep a clear distinction in mind: the census is a ten year exercise with regular counts from 1881 onwards, while 1872 is remembered as the first broad attempt.

Final Answer:
The correct statements are 1 and 2 only, which means the all India Census was first attempted in 1872 and has been regularly undertaken since 1881, but it is not a five year exercise.