PTC Web Desk:  The Centre has released the list of 40 questions that will be asked during Census 2027, with caste, education, employment, migration and digital literacy among the key areas covered.

For the first time since Independence, the census will collect caste-related information for all communities. The 2011 Census had 29 questions and only sought information on whether a person belonged to the Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST).

The upcoming Census 2027 questionnaire has a separate caste-related question at number 10, covering SC, ST and caste details.

The questionnaire will also seek information linked to mobile numbers, Aadhaar, voter ID, bank accounts and Covid-19 vaccination.

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Census 2027: What information will be collected?

The 40 questions have been divided into five broad sections covering different aspects of an individual's personal and social life.

1. Identity and family details

The first section will collect basic information about individuals and their families. People will be asked about their name, relationship with the head of the household, gender, date of birth and age. Questions will also cover marital status, age at marriage, spouse's name, nationality, religion and SC, ST and caste details.

Information about parents will also be recorded.

2. Education, language and digital literacy

The census will also focus on education and language. Questions will cover disability, mother tongue and other languages spoken, literacy and digital literacy. Respondents will also be asked whether they are currently studying at an educational institution. Details about their highest educational qualification, stream and subject will also be recorded.

3. Employment and economic activity

The employment section will have eight questions covering a person's work and economic activity. People will be asked whether they worked during the previous year, along with details of their occupation and the sector in which they work.

The questionnaire will also cover the worker's category, non-economic activity, whether the person is looking for work or available for work, and the mode or place of work-related travel.

4. Birth, migration and place of residence

Another section will focus on birth and migration-related information.

Questions will cover a person's place of birth, previous place of residence, reason for migration and the length of stay at the current or previous location. The permanent residential address will also be recorded.

Women will be asked about the number of children born alive, the total number of children they have had and the number of children born during the previous year.

5. Aadhaar, bank accounts and other documents

The final section will seek information related to certain documents, banking and mobile connectivity. People will be asked where they received their Covid-19 vaccination, the number of bank accounts they have and their mobile number.

The questionnaire will also ask whether Aadhaar, voter ID, passport and driving licence are available.

Census 2027 to be India's first digital census

Census 2027 will be India's first digital census. Information will be recorded digitally and people will also have the option of providing their details themselves through the self-enumeration facility. The exercise will be carried out under the Census Act, 1948 and Census Rules, 1990.

The government has said that personal information collected during the census will remain confidential. Under Section 15 of the Census Act, census information cannot be made public, disclosed under the Right to Information Act or used as evidence in a court.

Why was Census 2021 delayed?

The previous census was scheduled to take place in 2021 but was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Census 2027 will now be conducted across the country with coordination from the Centre. State governments and Union Territory administrations will assist in carrying out the exercise.

11,718 crore approved for Census 2027

The Union government has approved a budget of Rs 11,718.24 crore for Census 2027. The exercise will cover the entire country and will be implemented with coordination between the Centre, states and Union Territories.