New Delhi, 14 August (H.S.):
The Central Government on Friday notified a 40-question questionnaire for the second phase of Census 2027, which will involve the enumeration of the population. For the first time, caste-related information will also be collected as part of the Census exercise. The questionnaire covers a wide range of personal, social, educational, economic and demographic details. Citizens will also be asked about their COVID-19 vaccination, bank accounts, Aadhaar, voter identity cards and other relevant information.
The notification, issued on Friday by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs, authorises Census officials to collect information from households on 40 specified points.
According to the notification, Census officials will seek responses from people residing within the boundaries of their designated local areas through the Household Schedule. The questionnaire seeks information including a person's name, relationship with the head of the household, sex, date of birth and age, marital status, age at marriage, and the name of the spouse, along with the person's declared nationality.
It also seeks details regarding religion, Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and caste, parents' information, disability, mother tongue and knowledge of other languages, literacy and digital literacy, as well as whether the person is currently pursuing education at an educational institution. Questions have also been included on the highest educational level attained and the subject or faculty studied by the individual.
With regard to employment and economic activity, the questionnaire asks whether a person worked at any time during the preceding year, the category of economic activity in which they were engaged, their occupation, the nature of their industry, trade or service, and their category as a worker. For non-workers and marginal and semi-marginal workers, information will also be sought on their non-economic activity and whether they are seeking or available for work.
The questionnaire further covers commuting to the workplace, place of birth, previous place of residence, reason for migration, duration of stay in the village or town after the previous migration, and details concerning the permanent residential address.
For currently married, widowed, divorced and separated women, the questionnaire includes questions on the number of surviving children and the total number of children ever born alive.
In addition, respondents will be asked to provide details regarding the place of COVID-19 vaccination, the total number of bank accounts, and their mobile and Aadhaar numbers, where available. Information relating to voter identity card numbers, passport numbers in the case of Indian passport holders, and the availability of a driving licence will also form part of the questionnaire.
Census 2027 is being conducted in two phases. The first phase will comprise the House-listing and Housing Census, while the second phase will involve Population Enumeration. The newly notified questionnaire will serve as the basis for collecting social, economic, educational and demographic information relating to every individual and household during the second phase of the exercise.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
