Patna: India’s upcoming census will record caste details along with information on education, employment, migration, digital literacy, family structure and identity documents, according to the questionnaire released for the exercise.
Enumerators will ask households 40 questions covering individual and family details. The exercise will go beyond population counting to collect a broader set of socio-economic and demographic information.
Caste Details To Be Recorded
One of the key changes is the inclusion of caste-related information in the general census.
The questionnaire asks for details relating to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and caste as declared by the respondent. The information will be recorded based on what the individual provides, with no separate caste list accompanying the questionnaire.
The Cabinet Committee chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had decided on April 30, 2025, to include caste enumeration in the census.
Personal, Family And Religious Details
The questionnaire begins with basic information such as the individual’s name, relationship with the head of the household, gender, date of birth and age.
It also covers marital status, age at marriage, spouse’s name, nationality and religion. Details about parents, disability, mother tongue and other languages known will also be recorded.
The census will also collect information on literacy and digital literacy, attendance at educational institutions, highest educational qualification and subjects studied.
Employment And Economic Activity
Questions on employment will seek to establish whether an individual worked during the previous year.
For those who worked, enumerators will record the category of economic activity, occupation or profession, and the nature of the industry, trade or service.
The questionnaire also covers worker category, non-economic activities, whether a person is seeking or available for work, and commuting to the workplace.
Migration Details
Migration will form another significant part of the exercise.
People will be asked about their place of birth, place of last residence and permanent residential address. Those living away from their place of origin will also be asked about the reason for migration.
The duration of stay at the current location since the last migration will also be recorded.
Questions On Children
The questionnaire includes questions on fertility and surviving children.
Currently married, widowed, divorced or separated women will be asked about the number of children currently surviving, the total number of children born alive and the number of live births during the previous year.
Aadhaar, Bank Accounts And Other Details
The census questionnaire also includes questions on COVID-19 vaccination, including the location where the vaccine was received.
Individuals will be asked about the total number of bank accounts they hold. Mobile numbers, Aadhaar numbers and Voter ID numbers may also be recorded if available.
Indian passport holders will be asked for passport details, while the questionnaire also seeks information on whether an individual has a driving licence.
Enumeration To Begin Earlier In Snowbound Areas
The census exercise will begin earlier in snowbound areas, according to the government order.
Population enumeration is scheduled from September 1 to September 30 in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. A self-enumeration facility will be available in these areas from August 17 to August 31.
The census process for the rest of the country will be conducted at a later stage.
The 40 Questions
The questionnaire covers:
- Name of the individual
- Relationship with the head of the household
- Gender
- Date of birth and age
- Current marital status
- Age at marriage
- Name of spouse
- Declared nationality
- Religion
- Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and caste
- Father’s details
- Mother’s details
- Disability
- Mother tongue and other known languages
- Literacy and digital literacy
- Education and attendance at an educational institution
- Highest educational qualification and subjects
- Whether the individual worked during the last year
- Category of economic activity
- Occupation or profession
- Nature of industry, trade or service
- Category of worker
- Non-economic activity
- Whether seeking or available for work
- Commuting status to the workplace
- Place of birth
- Place of last residence
- Reason for migration
- Duration of stay since the last migration
- Permanent residential address
- Number of currently surviving children
- Total number of children born alive
- Number of live births in the past year
- Location of COVID-19 vaccination
- Total number of bank accounts
- Mobile number, if available
- Aadhaar number, if available
- Voter ID number, if available
- Passport number, for Indian passport holders
- Availability of a driving licence
The expanded questionnaire is intended to provide updated demographic and socio-economic information alongside the population count. The inclusion of caste, migration, employment, education and digital literacy data is expected to provide a broader picture of India’s population and living conditions.
