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Census 2027 Disability Question Risks Undercounting Disabled Citizens Across India
India plans to count its population in Census 2027.
The census has a question asking whether someone has a disability.
It lists nine types of disability, and people can choose up to three.
Some changes are helpful, such as adding blood disorders and using the term intellectual disability.
However, many legally recognised conditions, including autism and specific learning disabilities, are not listed separately.
The authors worry that people may be put into the wrong category or not counted at all.
They also say census workers may not receive enough guidance to identify some conditions.
If the information is incomplete, governments may not know where to send money, medical care and educational support.
Self-enumeration began August 17 in snowbound districts, followed by door-to-door enumeration from September 1 and the national count in February 2027.
Census Question 13 asks whether a person has a disability and permits up to three selections from nine categories.
The revised list adds blood disorder and replaces “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability,” but omits several conditions recognised under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
The article says autism, specific learning disabilities, multiple disabilities and other conditions may be misclassified or excluded, while the treatment needs of blood disorders remain aggregated.
The authors argue that incomplete categories, limited training and reliance on incomplete disability databases could undermine welfare budgets, health planning and services for a decade.
- Who
- India’s disabled citizens, census enumerators, the Ministry of Home Affairs and disability-policy advocates, including the article’s authors.
- What
- The article argues that the disability question planned for Census 2027 will omit or misclassify many recognised disabilities and lead to an undercount.
- Where
- The initial self-enumeration is taking place in snowbound districts of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, with the census covering India.
- When
- Self-enumeration began August 17; door-to-door enumeration is scheduled from September 1, with the national count in February 2027.
- Why
- The authors say the categories do not align with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and that inadequate training and incomplete databases could weaken welfare and health planning.
Reported Improvements
Authors’ Criticisms
Revised disability list
Reported Improvements
The revision adds blood disorder, increases the categories from eight in 2011 to nine, and replaces the obsolete term “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability.”
Authors’ Criticisms
The authors say the list still omits or fails to separately identify several conditions recognised by law, including autism and specific learning disabilities.
Multiple selections
Reported Improvements
Allowing respondents to select up to three disability types could capture more than one condition.
Authors’ Criticisms
The article says it is unclear whether multiple selections will be recorded as multiple disabilities or could result in duplicate counting, and notes that the previous multiple-disabilities category was removed.
Alternative data sources
Reported Improvements
The Unique Disability ID database and National Sample Survey estimates may appear to offer ways to supplement census information.
Authors’ Criticisms
The authors say Unique Disability ID registration covers only about half the disabled population, while National Sample Survey estimates prevalence but cannot provide absolute numbers.
Key facts
- Census questions
- The Ministry of Home Affairs has notified 40 questions; Question 13 concerns disability.
- Disability categories
- Question 13(b) lists nine types: seeing, hearing, speech, mobility, intellectual disability, mental illness, acid attack, chronic neurological disease and blood disorder.
- Selection limit
- Respondents may select up to three disability types.
- Legal framework
- The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 recognises 21 conditions, compared with the nine categories in the census question.
- Removed options
- The article says the earlier options for multiple disabilities and “any other” have been withdrawn.
- Unique Disability ID coverage
- The article states that Unique Disability ID registration reaches approximately half of the disabled population.
- Enumeration schedule
- Self-enumeration started August 17, door-to-door enumeration is planned from September 1, and the national count is scheduled for February 2027.
Sources
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