The upcoming Census 2027 will feature 13 new data fields, including parents' religion, digital literacy, and Aadhaar details, sparking debates over privacy and caste enumeration.

  • Questionnaire seeks religion and village-level birth details of both parents.
  • 13 new questions added compared to the 2011 Census, including digital literacy and Aadhaar.
  • Caste enumeration features an 'open field' for non-SC/ST categories.
  • Pilot enumeration has already commenced in Ladakh and snow-bound Himalayan regions.

The framework for Census 2027 has been unveiled, revealing a significant expansion in the depth of data the Indian government intends to collect. According to the latest questionnaire, the population enumeration phase will now require detailed information regarding the religion, date of birth, and place of birth—down to the village level—for both the father and the mother.

Under the 'Family Particulars' section, the census will also account for parents born outside India. While major religions like Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain are listed, a separate column for 'other religions' has been provided to ensure inclusivity.

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The Caste Enumeration Controversy

One of the most contentious aspects of the 2027 Census is the methodology for recording caste. While Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) will select their categories from a pre-defined drop-down menu, all other respondents must manually type their caste name into an 'open field.' To provide an out, the form includes options such as 'Does not want to declare Caste' and 'No Caste.'

Political leaders, including Jairam Ramesh, have criticized this 'open field' approach, suggesting it is a tactic to undermine a standardized caste census.

BozokMedia analysis shows that using an open field instead of a standardized drop-down menu for all categories could lead to data fragmentation, making it harder to generate consistent and accurate socio-economic profiles across the country.

Why This Matters

The addition of 13 new questions—ranging from Aadhaar numbers and mobile connectivity to digital literacy and COVID-19 vaccination status—marks a shift toward a more granular digital identity database. This expansion has drawn comparisons to the National Population Register (NPR), raising concerns among civil society regarding data privacy and the potential for surveillance.

The census schedule is set to begin door-to-door enumeration in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh starting September 1, with the rest of India scheduled for February 2027.

Did You Know?: The 2011 Census consisted of 29 questions, whereas the 2027 version has expanded to 40 questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is providing caste information mandatory?
No, the questionnaire provides options to opt-out by selecting 'Does not want to declare Caste.'

2. What are the new data fields being collected?
New fields include spouse's name, nationality, digital literacy, bank account numbers, and Aadhaar/Voter ID details.