**Executive Summary**
This document presents the answer from the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs to Unstarred Question No. 262 in Lok Sabha, scheduled for response on December 2, 2025. The question relates to the census proforma, potential conflicts with board exams, enumeration of castes, and the optionality of caste disclosure in the census. The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner is in the process of finalizing the questionnaire.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Census Questionnaire Finalization:**
* The census questionnaires/schedules are notified by the Central Government through the Official Gazette as per Rule 6 of Census Rules, 1990, and section 8(1) of the Act.
* The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner is currently finalizing the questionnaire.
* **Enumerators and Census Timeline:**
* Primary school teachers are typically appointed as Enumerators during the Census.
* The timeline for Census 2027 follows past practices.
* **Caste Enumeration:**
* Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are enumerated strictly according to the notified lists under the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 (as amended).
* Caste enumeration in Census 2027 will be as decided by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (decision dated April 30, 2025).
* **Respondent Obligations:**
* Under section 8(2) of the Census Act, 1948, respondents are required to answer census questions to the best of their knowledge or belief.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Registrar General and Census Commissioner**
* **Impact:** Responsible for finalizing the census questionnaire.
* **Action Required:** Continue the process of finalizing the questionnaire for the upcoming census.
**Stakeholder: Central Government**
* **Impact:** Responsible for notifying the census questionnaires/schedules through the Official Gazette.
* **Action Required:** Notify the finalized questionnaires/schedules through the Official Gazette.
**Stakeholder: Primary School Teachers**
* **Impact:** Typically appointed as Enumerators during the Census.
* **Action Required:** Prepare to undertake duties as Enumerators.
**Stakeholder: Respondents**
* **Impact:** Required to participate in the census and answer questions truthfully.
* **Action Required:** Participate in the Census 2027 and answer questions to the best of their knowledge or belief as required under the Census Act, 1948.
**Stakeholder: Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs**
* **Impact:** Decides on caste enumeration policies for Census 2027.
* **Action Required:** Finalise and declare its decision regarding the caste enumeration.
Key Entities Referenced
Census Act, 1948: Governs the process of census taking, including the obligations of respondents.
Census Rules, 1990: Details the process of notification and implementation of the census questionnaires.
Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950: Defines the list of Scheduled Castes for the purpose of enumeration in the census.
Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950: Defines the list of Scheduled Tribes for the purpose of enumeration in the census.
Registrar General and Census Commissioner: The office responsible for preparing and finalizing the census questionnaire.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 262
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2ND DECEMBER, 2025/ AGRAHAYANA 11, 1947
(SAKA)
CENSUS PROFORMA
262. SHRI SHATRUGHAN PRASAD SINHA:
Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Registrar General and Census Commissioner has prepared
the census performa and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons
therefor;
(b) whether it is a fact that the census date announced may clash with
board exams in which a lot of teachers who also become enumerators
would have official board duties if so, the details thereof;
(c) the name and total number of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and
other backward classes, and other castes that would be listed in the
census; and
(d) whether disclosing caste for the census would be optional or not if so,
the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI NITYANAND RAI)
(a): As per Rule 6 of Census Rules, 1990, the census
questionnaires/schedules are notified by the Central Government through
Official Gazette under sub-section (1) of section 8 of the Act. Office of the
Registrar General and Census Commissioner is in the process of finalizing
of questionnaire.-2-
L.S.US.Q.NO. 262 FOR 02.12.2025
(b): During the Census, the Primary school Teachers are usually
appointed as Enumerators. The timeline for Census 2027 has been kept
same like the past practices followed in previous censuses.
(c) & (d): In Census, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs)
are enumerated strictly as per the notified list of SCs and STs, notified
vide the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution
(Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 (as amended time to time). In Census
2027, Caste enumeration will be done as decided by Cabinet Committee
on Political Affairs vide its decision dated 30.04.2025. The census
questions are notified after finalization. Under sub-section (2) of section
8, of the Census Act, 1948, the respondent is required to answer questions
to the best of his knowledge or belief.
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