Census 2027 second phase demands zero tolerance for errors on religion, caste questions

Narrower margin for error in Census second phase, training vital, Registrar General says

India's Census chief has told state governments that the upcoming population enumeration carries significantly higher stakes than the recently concluded house-listing exercise, warning that questions dealing with religion, caste and fertility leave little room for mistakes.

In a letter dated September 9, Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RG&CCI) Mritunjay Kumar Narayan wrote to all states emphasising that the margin for error during the second phase of Census 2027 is "narrower" because the questions are "numerous, sensitive, and more consequential".

The communication underscored the critical importance of rigorous training for the nearly 34 lakh enumerators and supervisors who will conduct the exercise across the country.

Gender sensitisation and self-enumeration to continue

The September 9 letter called for the integration of gender sensitisation in the training programme for enumerators, with an emphasis on respectful interaction, accurate recording, and strict avoidance of assumptions or bias.

The circular also confirmed that self-enumeration would continue in the second phase. Enumerators and supervisors, most of whom are government school teachers and staff, will be trained to validate, edit and accept responses submitted through the self-enumeration portal and mobile application.

Hands-on training with digital tools mandatory

In what is being called India's first digital Census, enumerators are to record the data through an app on their personal phones. The same process was followed during the first phase, the House Listing Operations (HLO), which began on April 1 and will conclude by September 30.

The circular said that the enumerators "may be encouraged to do self-enumeration of their own households to get better acquainted with questions through the SE (self-enumeration) Portal". It added that hands-on practise with the Population Enumeration Mobile App is mandatory for all enumerators and supervisors.

Staggered rollout begins November 2026

Following the completion of the ongoing Population Enumeration in Ladakh and snow-bound areas of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand, the second phase of Census 2027 will be carried out in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa and the remaining parts of Uttarakhand from November 16, 2026, to January 4, 2027, ahead of the rest of the country, where enumeration will commence in February 2027.

40 questions including first-ever caste enumeration

The second phase will ask 40 questions, which include the enumeration of castes other than Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe for the first time in independent India.

In the September 9 circular, the RG&CCI said that while Phase I training had established a digitally proficient Census workforce, Population Enumeration would require officials to engage with respondents on a wider range of sensitive issues, including religion, language, caste, disability, migration, economic activity and fertility.

Training modules focus on sensitive categories

Training modules will similarly cover caste, fertility and religion-related questions. According to the circular, the quality, completeness and integrity of Census data will depend directly on the effectiveness of training provided to Census personnel.

The circular said population enumeration would require enumerators to ask questions relating to religion, mother tongue, caste, disability, migration, fertility and economic activity, among other subjects. It instructs trainers to place special emphasis on these categories and on the correct application of coding and probing techniques.

On August 14, the RG&CCI notified a set of 40 questions to be asked during the second phase of Census 2027, adding 13 new questions or data fields that were not part of the Census 2011 questionnaire.

PRAMAN framework for household interaction

"To improve interactions with households, the government has introduced a framework called PRAMAN, comprising Pehchaan (Identity), Rishta (Rapport), Anurodh (Request), Madad (Assistance), Aankada Shuddhata (Data Accuracy) and Nishtha (Commitment). The framework will be embedded across all levels of training and reinforced through a Seva Bhav pledge administered to enumerators and supervisors," the circular said.

Training linked to national development vision

The circular said that Census 2027 is not merely an administrative and statistical exercise, but that it is one of the empirical foundations for building Viksit (Developed) Bharat.

"The accuracy, completeness, and integrity of Phase II data will depend directly on the quality of training imparted to the vast workforce of Census functionaries, around 34 lakh Enumerators and Supervisors - who will carry out the enumeration.

Training is therefore not just a preparatory step; it is in itself a contribution to the national vision in producing quality data," it added.

The emphasis on training reflects the government's recognition that the expanded scope and sensitivity of the questions in this Census, particularly the inclusion of non-SC/ST caste data, demand a higher level of preparation and awareness among field staff than previous exercises.

Source: The Hindu