Centre notifies 40 questions for second phase of Census 2027, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• The Union government has notified 40 questions for the second phase of Census 2027, including a question on "caste".
• This marks the first time caste will be enumerated in independent India, beyond Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
• The Census 2027 schedule introduces 13 new questions compared to the Census 2011 questionnaire.
• The Registrar-General and Census Commissioner of India (RG&CCI) issued the notification under the Census Act.
• The second phase of the Census will commence in specific snow-bound regions on Monday, with the rest of the country following in February 2027.

Detailed Insights:

• The new questions cover details such as digital literacy, permanent residential address, COVID-19 vaccination status, and the number of bank accounts.
• Information on Aadhaar, mobile number, voter IDs, passport number, and driving license availability will also be collected.
• The caste question will utilize an "open column" methodology, where enumerators record the caste as declared by the respondent.
• Concerns have been raised regarding the "open column" approach, citing issues faced during the Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011.
• The SECC 2011 recorded over 46 lakh different "caste names," leading the government to deem its caste data unreliable.
• The Census Act, 1948, provides the statutory backing for the census exercise, unlike the SECC, which was a survey.
• The census is conducted in two phases: Housing and House Listing Operations (HLO) and Population Enumeration.
• An option for self-enumeration will be available from August 17-31, preceding the house-to-house population enumeration.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Census Act, 1948: The legislation providing the legal framework for conducting the decennial census in India.
• Population Enumeration: The second phase of the census involving the collection of demographic and socio-economic data from every individual.
• Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC): A survey conducted in 2011 to collect data on socio-economic status and caste, distinct from the decennial census.
• Registrar-General and Census Commissioner of India (RG&CCI): The authority responsible for planning, executing, and overseeing the decennial census in India.