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Census 2027 Big Update: Caste, Aadhaar, Bank Accounts Among 40 Questions (Img: Pinterest)
New Delhi: The Centre has notified the list of 40 questions that will be asked during the second phase of Census 2027, also known as the population enumeration phase. The questionnaire includes details related to caste, religion, education, occupation, migration, Aadhaar, voter ID, bank accounts and the place of Covid-19 vaccination.
The population enumeration exercise will begin from September 1 in snow-bound areas, including Ladakh and non-synchronous regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The process in these areas will continue till September 30, according to a government notification.
For the rest of the country, the population enumeration phase will be conducted next year.
One of the biggest highlights of Census 2027 is the inclusion of caste-related questions in the population count. This will be the first time since Independence that caste details will be collected as part of the Census exercise.
Respondents will be asked to provide information about their Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and caste details during the enumeration process.
The move comes after years of debate over the collection of caste-based demographic data in the country.
The 40-question questionnaire will collect personal, social and economic information about citizens. Enumerators will ask details such as name, relationship with the head of the family, gender, date of birth, marital status, nationality and religion.
The Census form will also include questions about education levels, literacy, digital literacy, employment status, occupation, industry of work and travel patterns related to employment.
Information about birth place, migration history, permanent residence and reasons for migration will also be recorded.
For the first time, the Census questionnaire will also seek information about the place of Covid-19 vaccination.
Citizens will also be asked about the number of bank accounts they hold, along with details of Aadhaar number, mobile number, voter ID, passport and driving licence availability, if available.
The government has included these questions to collect updated demographic and socio-economic information of the population.
Before population enumeration, the first phase of Census 2027 — the House Listing and Housing Census (HLO) — is currently underway.
During this phase, enumerators are visiting houses and collecting details about residential buildings, household facilities, ownership status and information about the head of the household.
The house listing exercise began on April 16 in several states and Union Territories and will continue till September 30.
Census data plays a crucial role in government policy planning, welfare schemes, resource allocation and understanding population trends.
With caste data being included for the first time in independent India’s Census process, the 2027 exercise is expected to become one of the most significant population surveys in the country’s history.
