Truth that Matters. Stories that Impact

Truth that Matters. Stories that Impact

Politics

Census 2027 Questionnaire Adds Parents’ Religion, Village Birthplace, and Caste Details

The questionnaire for the population enumeration phase of Census 2027 has gone live on a self-enumeration portal in Ladakh and snow-bound regions of three other States ahead of the rest of the country. According to details seen by The Hindu, the updated schedule requires respondents to provide detailed information about their parents, including their religion, dates of birth, and places of birth down to the village level.

What Happened

The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RG&CCI) notified 40 questions for the second phase of Census 2027, adding 13 new questions or data fields compared to the 29 questions included in the 2011 Census. The early self-enumeration rollout began on August 17 across Ladakh as well as snow-bound tracts in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.

Under the section marked “Family Particulars,” the questionnaire collects the place of birth, date of birth, and religion of both the father and mother, including an option to record whether either parent was born outside India. Alongside six listed religions—Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Muslim, and Jain—a separate column allows citizens to record “other religion.”

In what marks Independent India’s first caste enumeration, the questionnaire adopts a two-tiered data entry format. Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) respondents can pick their caste from a predetermined drop-down list ratified by Parliament. All other respondents must write their caste into an open text field under Question 10 (C), or choose between “Does not want to declare Caste” and “No Caste.” These entries are designated as mandatory.

Key Highlights

  • Parental Information: Encompasses religion, date of birth, and village-level birthplace for both parents, as well as foreign birth details where applicable.
  • Caste Recording Formats: Drop-down selections are provided strictly for official SC and ST categories, while non-SC/ST respondents must type caste names manually or select options declining to state caste.
  • Additional New Fields: Inclusions not found in Census 2011 encompass spouse’s name, nationality, digital literacy, permanent address, bank account counts, COVID-19 vaccination location, passport numbers, driving licence availability, and optional mobile, Aadhaar, and voter ID details.
  • Parallels with NPR: Several new fields mirror items tested in the 2019 National Population Register (NPR) rehearsal form, which had been put on hold following political and civil society objections regarding a potential nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC).
  • Rollout Timeline: Door-to-door enumeration across Ladakh and designated parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh runs from September 1 to September 30, with the remainder of India scheduled for February 2027.

Why This Matters

The expanded questionnaire collects individual-level data that goes beyond past decennial censuses. While Census data can legally only be shared in aggregate form down to the village level under statutory protections, multiple newly introduced questions mirror elements previously intended for the NPR database, which can be shared across government departments and States.

The choice to use an open-field entry system for general caste data has also drawn sharp political contention. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the Union Government of undermining the caste census, noting that the government had previously cited the lack of a drop-down menu as the cause for unmanageable data inconsistencies during the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC). That survey generated over 46 lakh distinct caste names and was ultimately left unreleased, compared to the 4,147 castes catalogued in the 1931 Census.

What to Watch Next

Door-to-door enumeration begins on September 1 and concludes on September 30 in the early-phase highland and border regions. The second phase of Census 2027 across all other States and Union Territories is scheduled to take place in February 2027.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which regions have gained early access to the Census 2027 portal?

The self-enumeration portal opened on August 17 for respondents in Ladakh, as well as selected snow-bound tracts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

How does the questionnaire record caste?

Recognised SC and ST respondents pick their community from a predetermined drop-down menu based on official lists. Non-SC/ST respondents enter their caste in an open text field or select “No Caste” or “Does not want to declare Caste.”

What details are asked regarding COVID-19 vaccination?

Respondents are asked whether they received their vaccination inside or outside India, and to supply the State and district names if the vaccination occurred within the country.

Source: Reporting by The Hindu.