DEPOLARIS

one story, every lens

← today's edition

Union government notifies 40 questions for Census 2027 including caste enumeration

The Ministry of Home Affairs has notified the 40-question schedule for the population enumeration phase of Census 2027. The questionnaire includes a specific column to record caste alongside Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe status for the first time since Independence.

Where the coverage agrees

The Ministry of Home Affairs notified 40 questions for the upcoming Census 2027.

The questionnaire includes a specific query to record caste status.

This marks the inclusion of a caste count in the census enumeration since Independence.

The coverage

The Hindu

Census 2027: Centre notifies 40 questions for second phase

The Union government on Friday notified 40 questions, which among others will ask the respondents to record their “caste” during the population enumeration exercise, the second phase of Census 2027.

Majoritarian
Pluralist

The article provides straightforward institutional reporting on the Census 2027 questionnaire notification, neutrally including both government procedural details and opposition critiques regarding caste enumeration methodology.

Deccan Herald

Centre notifies 40 questions for Census 2027; caste, SC, ST status included

Listed for coverage; not compass-scored (full text unavailable to us).

Deccan Herald

Census 2027: Centre’s 40-question form includes caste count for first time

Listed for coverage; not compass-scored (full text unavailable to us).

Economic Times

Govt notifies 40-question Census 2027; caste to be recorded with SC/ST status

The notification, issued by Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, places "Scheduled Caste (SC)/ Scheduled Tribe (ST)/Caste" as Question No 10 in the Population Enumeration schedule.

Majoritarian
Pluralist

Straight reporting of government census notification procedures, detailing logistical and structural questionnaire items without taking cultural or identity-based stances.

Economic Times

Census 2027: Centre notifies 40 questions for Census population enumeration phase

The 40 questions notified by the MHA are: 1.

Majoritarian
Pluralist

Straight informational report on the notification of Census 2027 questions by the Ministry of Home Affairs, including mention of caste enumeration without cultural framing or value judgements.

Republic World

Census 2027: Caste Column Added For First Time Since Independence, MHA Notifies 40 Questions

The Ministry of Home Affairs has outlined 40 questions for the Census of India 2027, marking the first comprehensive enumeration of caste since Independence.

Majoritarian
Pluralist

The article provides straight, factual reporting on the notification of Census 2027 questions including caste enumeration, without adopting a majoritarian or pluralist normative framing.

The Wire

Govt Notifies Questionnaire For Household Schedule of Census 2027, Queries Include Details of Caste, Covid Vaccination

Listed for coverage; not compass-scored (full text unavailable to us).

Missing from the coverage

Perspectives from grassroots enumerators regarding logistical challenges on the ground, as well as detailed analyses from sociologists on the methodology of data collection, are largely absent from the initial reports.

Before you decide what you think

  1. How does the inclusion of a caste column in the census affect your view of social equity policies in India?
  2. What potential benefits or challenges do you foresee in capturing detailed demographic and caste data at a national level?
  3. How do you weigh the administrative complexity of a comprehensive census against the necessity of updated demographic data?
  4. In what ways might the publication of caste-based census data influence political discourse and public resource allocation from your perspective?

Placements describe framing, not truth or virtue; article scores are reviewed before publication. Methodology · disagree with a placement? Tell us.

The daily edition, in your inbox. One email each morning: the stories, where the spectrum agrees, and the questions worth asking. Free.