Census exercise likely after Lok Sabha polls 2024, internet access, cereals among probable questions

In 2020-21, the coronavirus pandemic delayed the execution of India's decadal Census and now it seems like the exercise will only be possible after Lok Sabha elections 2024, an official said. It is revealed that in the next Census, many interesting questions will be asked like access to the internet, laptops, computers, cars, and two-wheelers.

Earlier, the house listing phase of the Census and the exercise to update the National Population Register (NPR) was scheduled from 1 April to 30 September 2020, but as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the country, the Census exercise was indefinitely postponed.

Census: What do norms say?

In January, the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India extended the date of freezing the administrative boundaries -- creation of new districts or sub-districts to 30 June and according to the rules, the Census can be conducted only three months after (post September 30) freezing of boundary limits of administrative units such as districts, sub-districts, tehsils, taluks and police stations.

The rules say that two out of the three months are required to train the 30 lakh government employees who will be engaged as enumerators for the Census. Meanwhile, from October the Election Commission of India (ECI) is also expected to start the process for the next general elections such as revision of voter lists, etc.

As the same set of government employees are required for both Census operations and by the Election Commission, the process is expected to be taken up after the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the officials said.

First Digital Census

The next Census exercise will be the first digital Census of India where citizens will get the opportunity to self-enumerate themselves. The Census authorities will soon launch the self-enumeration portal and the NPR has been made compulsory for citizens who want to exercise the right to fill out the Census form on their own rather than through government enumerators.

Also Read: India conducts first-ever census of water bodies; Here's some revelations

Census: Expected Questions

According to the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, 31 questions will be asked from the citizens which include whether a family has a telephone line, Internet connection, mobile or smartphone, bicycle, scooter or motorcycle or moped, whether it owns a car, jeep or a van.

They will also be asked about the cereals they consume in the household, the main source of drinking water and lighting, access to toilet and its type, wastewater outlet, availability of the bathing facility, availability of kitchen and LPG/PNG connection, main fuel used for cooking, availability of radio, transistor, television, etc.

The questions will also revolve around the predominant material of floor, wall, and roof of the Census house, its condition, the total number of persons normally residing in the household, whether its head is a woman if the head belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe, number of dwelling rooms exclusively in possession of the household and the number of a married couple(s) living in the household, among others.

(With agency inputs)