Census Trainers Highlight Challenges Around Aadhaar, Caste, and Parents' Details Ahead of 2027 Exercise

As preparation for the second phase of Census 2027 gets underway, field trainers in Uttar Pradesh have highlighted key challenges regarding new and sensitive queries, including Aadhaar numbers, caste, and parents' birth details.

Door-to-door enumeration is scheduled to begin on December 1 in Uttar Pradesh and three other poll-bound States, while the rest of the country will follow in February 2027. Training sessions are currently underway to prepare enumerators for a comprehensive 40-question questionnaire.

Key Questionnaire Changes

• Expanded Scope: The upcoming population enumeration includes 13 new questions, covering details such as caste, religion, parents' birth places and dates, bank accounts, and digital literacy.
• Caste Enumeration: For non-SC/ST respondents, enumerators must manually record the caste name in an open field. Options to decline or state no caste are also available.
• Aadhaar Collection: Trainers have instructed enumerators to reassure respondents that Aadhaar collection is meant to track coverage rather than bank details, though official sources maintain the question is optional and distinct from citizenship testing.

Verification and Context

According to reported training sessions, enumerators are advised to navigate sensitive queries carefully and use estimation methods for elderly respondents who may not recall parental birth details. Official guidelines emphasize confidentiality, and senior officials have clarified that no instructions link Aadhaar collection directly to citizenship verifications. Readers can verify official guidelines and updates through official Census announcements and government portals.