The concerns over the Census questions
The questionnaire for the population enumeration phase of the 2027 Census comprises 40 questions and seek details such as nationality, number of bank accounts and mobile, Aadhaar and voter ID numbers, if available, raising concerns over its potential digression from the purpose of collecting data for policy and planning
Census enumerators at a house in Vellor, tamil nadu.
The questions to be asked to every individual during the population enumeration phase of the 2027 Census were notified by the Central government last month. In a significant departure from the past, a number of personal details, which cannot be used to generate any useful statistics, are being sought. This prompts a look at the individual questions, their possible uses and the implications of their inclusion in the Census.
The new questions in Census 2027 ask respondents to provide the details of the parents of every individual and spouses of the married persons in the household, nationality as declared, permanent residential address, place of COVID 19 vaccination, total number of bank accounts, mobile number, Aadhaar number and Voter ID number (if available), Passport number (if an Indian passport holder), and driving license availability.
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