Ex-officials flag concerns over Census data quality, potential NPR, NRC link, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Union government advanced the Population Enumeration phase of Census 2027 in four poll-bound states: Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Goa.
• The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RG&CCI) notified a set of 40 questions for the Census on August 14, 2026.
• Former Census officials raised concerns about the quality of data and potential links between the Census, National Population Register (NPR), and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
• Some new questions, including those on parents' particulars and identity documents, resemble data collected during previous NPR exercises.
• The 1951 Census data was previously used to prepare the NRC in undivided Assam, establishing a precedent.

Detailed Insights:

• The decision to advance the Census in certain states while deferring it in Manipur has raised concerns about the under-enumeration of migrant workers.
• The NPR, first created in 2011 and updated in 2015 with data for 119 crore residents, has been on the back burner due to political and civil society opposition.
• Section 15 of the Census Act, 1948, ensures the confidentiality of Census data, stating it is for statistical purposes and not admissible as evidence.
• Despite confidentiality provisions, the 1951 NRC was prepared by "copying" data from Census schedules, though it was not published nationwide.
• New questions for Census 2027 include details like parents' names, religion, place of birth, Aadhaar, mobile number, Voter ID, and Driving Licence.
• The utility of collecting identity document details is questioned, as much of this information is already available in administrative databases.
• A lengthy questionnaire could lead to "respondent fatigue" and practical difficulties for enumerators, potentially affecting data accuracy.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Census: An official enumeration of the population, typically recording various details of individuals.
• National Population Register (NPR): A register of usual residents of the country, prepared under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
• National Register of Citizens (NRC): A register containing details of all Indian citizens, aimed at identifying legal citizens.
• Census Act, 1948: The legislation that provides the legal framework for conducting the Census in India and ensures data confidentiality.