6 hrs ago
Former Civil Servants Question Expanded Census 2027 Data Collection
A group of 108 former government workers has written to the central government about the next Census.
A Census is a large survey that counts people and collects information about households.
They say the proposed questionnaire has grown from 29 questions in 2011 to 40 questions in 2027.
Some new questions ask for personal details, such as parents’ names, bank accounts, and identification numbers.
The group is worried that this could make people less willing to answer or lead to mistakes.
It also fears that the information could be combined with other government databases.
The group says this could affect privacy and allow profiling or discrimination.
It wants the government to explain the purpose of the questions and protect the Census data.
A group of 108 former civil servants urged the central government to reconsider features of the proposed Census 2027 questionnaire.
They said the questionnaire has grown from 29 questions in 2011 to 40 in 2027.
New questions reportedly seek details including parents’ and spouses’ names, nationality, bank accounts, and identification numbers.
The Constitutional Conduct Group warned that Census information could be combined with other databases for purposes beyond statistical work.
The group called for a simpler questionnaire and stronger protections for confidentiality, diversity, and data quality.
- Who
- The Constitutional Conduct Group, represented by 108 former civil servants, wrote the letter.
- What
- They questioned the expanded Census 2027 questionnaire and urged the government to simplify it and protect confidentiality.
- Where
- India.
- When
- The concerns relate to the proposed Census 2027.
- Why
- The group is concerned about privacy, respondent burden, data quality, possible database-linking, and the representation of caste, religion, and language.
Key facts
- Signatories
- 108 people, described as former civil servants
- Questionnaire size
- The proposed questionnaire increases from 29 questions in 2011 to 40 in 2027
- Personal information mentioned
- Parents’ names, spouses’ names, permanent addresses, nationality, bank accounts, and identity or contact details
- Identification details
- The questionnaire may seek Aadhaar, voter ID, passport, driving-licence, and mobile-phone details where available
- Register concern
- The group said some questions could facilitate preparation or updating of the National Population Register
- Data risks
- The letter warned about respondent fatigue, enumerator errors, profiling, discrimination, and political targeting
- Requested changes
- Simplify the questionnaire, protect confidentiality, reconsider unnecessary questions, and improve approaches to caste, religion, and language
Quotes
Constitutional Conduct Group
Collective of 108 signatories that submitted the open letter to the central government
“If information is collected ostensibly for the Census and subsequently transferred or mined for another governmental purpose, the confidentiality principle underpinning the Census would definitely be compromised.”
theprint.in
“Will information gathered for a confidential statistical exercise remain within that exercise, or will it subsequently be extracted, combined with other databases and used for purposes unrelated to the Census?”
theprint.in
Sources
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