BIG UPDATE: Census 2027 Form Lists Caste Question Alongside SC, ST Details in 40-Point Schedule

The government has released a 40-question schedule for the upcoming Census, with caste-related information included in the list. The development is significant because the inclusion of caste details had been a major political and policy issue surrounding the census exercise. The questionnaire places information related to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and caste at number 10. Other questions seek details including the name of the person, relationship with the household head, sex, date of birth, age, marital status, age at marriage, spouse’s name, nationality and religion. The Census exercise is being conducted in phases. The first phase focuses on housing and household-related information, including details about houses and their condition. The second phase is focused on individual-level information and includes the questions listed in the newly released schedule. The inclusion of caste in the individual questionnaire provides a formal framework for collecting caste-related information during the census. It comes after repeated demands from opposition parties and other political groups for caste enumeration to be incorporated into the national population exercise. The development is expected to generate renewed political discussion, particularly over how caste data will be collected, classified and eventually used. Questions surrounding privacy, accuracy, categorisation and the publication of caste-related data are also likely to remain part of the wider debate. The 40-point schedule also seeks demographic information that will help authorities build a detailed picture of India's population. Officials are expected to use the information gathered during the census for planning, administration and policy formulation. With caste explicitly appearing in the questionnaire, the upcoming census is set to become a closely watched exercise. Political parties, social organisations and researchers are likely to examine the methodology and eventual findings closely once the enumeration process progresses.