Pioneering the Digital Census: A Call for Inclusive Safeguards in India's 2027 Population Count

The Population Foundation of India endorses the 2027 Census but calls for strong safeguards to ensure inclusivity and accuracy, especially for marginalised groups. The upcoming digital census will include caste data, crucial for equitable resource allocation and development planning.

The Population Foundation of India has voiced support for the 16th national Census, emphasizing the need for stringent measures to guarantee inclusivity and precision. Scheduled for 2027, this will be India's first entirely digital census, incorporating caste enumeration to ensure equitable focus.

The Union Home Ministry announced the census will occur in two phases with caste data collection. The foundation urges using this data to inform policies that reflect the genuine needs of marginalised communities.

Executive director Poonam Muttreja highlighted the necessity of transitioning to digital while cautioning against potential exclusion risks for disadvantaged groups. She advocated for continued in-person counting where necessary and stressed the importance of a socially diverse team of enumerators.

(With inputs from agencies.)