Census 2027: Centre Releases 40 Questions, Includes Caste and SC/ST Status

NEW DELHI, Aug 14: The Centre has notified a set of 40 questions to be asked during the population enumeration phase of Census 2027, including details on caste, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe status, education, employment, migration and digital literacy.

According to an order issued by the Registrar General of India, respondents will be asked whether they belong to an SC or ST community and will also be required to provide their caste. The questionnaire will not contain a predefined list of castes, with responses expected to be recorded as provided by individuals, according to sources.

The population enumeration exercise will begin first in snow-bound regions. Ladakh and non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will undergo the exercise from September 1 to September 30.

Residents in these areas will have the option of completing self-enumeration between August 17 and August 31 before the house to house exercise begins. Population enumeration in the remaining parts of the country will take place next year.

The inclusion of caste marks a major change in the decadal Census. The decision to collect caste-related information was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on April 30 last year.

Wide Range of Personal Details

The questionnaire will seek information on several aspects of an individual’s identity and social background. These include age, marital status, age at marriage, spouse’s name, nationality, religion, parents’ details, disability status, mother tongue and other languages known.

Information on literacy and digital literacy will also be collected. Respondents will be asked about their participation in educational institutions, highest level of education and the stream or discipline studied.

The enumeration will also examine employment patterns. Individuals will be asked whether they worked at any point during the previous year, their economic activity, occupation, industry, trade or service, and their category as a worker.

For marginal, semi-marginal and non-workers, the questionnaire will also cover non-economic activities and availability for work. Respondents will be asked whether they travel to another location for employment.

Migration and Family Information

The exercise will gather detailed information on migration, including birthplace, previous place of residence, reason for migration, duration of stay at the current village or town and permanent residential address.

Women who are currently married, widowed, divorced or separated will be asked questions concerning their children. These will include the number of surviving children, children from the current marriage and children born alive during the preceding year.

The questionnaire will also include questions related to Covid-19 vaccination, including the place where the respondent received the vaccine.

Digital Census and Identity Details

Census 2027 is being planned as a fully digital exercise, representing a significant technological shift from previous decadal population counts.

Respondents will be asked to provide information on the number of bank accounts they hold. The questionnaire also includes fields relating to mobile numbers, Aadhaar, voter identification, passport details and possession of a driving licence.

The government has already begun the first phase of the exercise, covering house listing and the housing census. This phase is scheduled to continue until September 30.

During the housing and house-listing operation, enumerators visit houses and other structures to collect information on housing conditions, basic facilities, household characteristics and ownership. They are required to record responses to 33 questions during this stage.

The fieldwork for house listing began on April 16 across several states and Union territories. The information collected will form the basis for the subsequent population enumeration.

The Census, originally scheduled for 2021, was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Union Cabinet has approved an allocation of ₹11,718 crore for conducting the decadal exercise.

With caste being recorded for the first time as part of the Census, the 2027 exercise is expected to generate a comprehensive demographic database covering India’s social composition, education, employment, migration and household characteristics.