Census 2027: 40-Question Questionnaire Released, Caste Data to Be Collected for the First Time
The education-related section will cover literacy as well as digital literacy. Information regarding whether an individual has received the COVID-19 vaccine will also be collected.
New Delhi: Preparations for Census 2027 have gathered pace with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs issuing a questionnaire containing 40 questions for the nationwide exercise. Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan has issued the notification under the Census Act, 1948.
During the census, enumerators will collect information from households on a wide range of geographical, social, educational and economic parameters. The questionnaire will seek details such as a person’s name, relationship with the head of the household, gender, date of birth, age, marital status, spouse’s name and nationality.
The exercise will also cover information related to religion and social categories. Respondents will be asked whether they belong to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, along with details relating to caste, parents, disability and mother tongue.
The education-related section will cover literacy as well as digital literacy. Information regarding whether an individual has received the COVID-19 vaccine will also be collected.
The questionnaire will further seek certain financial and identification-related details. Respondents will be asked about the number of bank accounts they hold, while details linked to documents such as Aadhaar, voter ID, passport and driving licence, along with mobile numbers, will also be recorded.
One of the most significant features of Census 2027 will be the collection of caste-related data across the country. This will mark the first nationwide census exercise to formally collect caste information. The decision was taken at a Cabinet Committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 30 last year.
The first phase of the census, covering house listing and housing census, is already underway. The exercise began on April 16 and is scheduled to continue until September 30. Enumerators are collecting information on buildings, houses and residential structures across the country.
The Centre has decided to conduct the entire census exercise through a digital process. The government has allocated around Rs. 11,000 crore for the nationwide census operation.
While the main census exercise will be conducted across most parts of the country next year, information will be collected between September 1 and September 30 in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
With caste data being included alongside social, educational, economic and digital information, Census 2027 is expected to provide a comprehensive picture of India’s population and its changing social and economic profile.
