Hyderabad: The Directorate of Census Operations (DCO) in Telangana, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the University of Hyderabad (UoH) signed an MoU on Monday to establish a dedicated research workstation for sample microdata from the Census.This marks a significant milestone: the first census microdata research workstation in Telangana, highlighting substantial progress in developing the national research data infrastructure.The facility, located in a fully air-conditioned 1,000 sq ft space on the varsity’s east campus, is equipped with specialised servers, advanced terminals, and access to essential statistical software, including SPSS and STATA. Robust security protocols have also been implemented to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of national Census records.The workstation was inaugurated by the University’s leadership alongside senior govt officials, expanding the research capabilities available to the academic community in southern India. The facility allows qualified researchers to safely access anonymised, detailed census data. This access supports in-depth demographic studies using information not normally available in public aggregate tables. Researchers can perform customised analyses through cross-tabulations that focus on specific socio-economic questions and create statistical models to inform regional and national development strategies.“This facility is open to all qualified researchers, not just University members,” said the Joint Steering Committee. The committee, comprising members from both the School of Economics and the DCO, will review and approve research proposals.Researchers can perform customised analyses through cross-tabulations. The facility is equipped with specialised servers, advanced terminals, and key statistical software
