Now Reading: 2027 census set to miss millions of disabled Indians, say activists
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2027 census set to miss millions of disabled Indians, say activists
India's 2027 Census will continue to exclude accurate data on disabled citizens unless the government revises its enumeration process, disability rights activists have told The Indian Express. The current draft schedule does…
India's 2027 Census will continue to exclude accurate data on disabled citizens unless the government revises its enumeration process, disability rights activists have told The Indian Express. The current draft schedule does not include questions that capture hidden disabilities such as mental illness or speech impairment, and enumerators are not being trained to ask the right follow-up questions. The 2011 Census counted only 2.68 crore disabled people, a figure activists say is a vast undercount.
The Census authorities have not consulted the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) while designing the 2027 questionnaire. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, mandates that disability data be used to allocate funds for schemes and infrastructure. The next deadline for the Union Cabinet to approve the census questionnaire is early 2026, leaving a window to revise the format.
Indian Opinion Analysis
India last conducted a full disability census in 2011 under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, and the 2011 count of 2.68 crore disabled persons was widely regarded as a severe undercount because enumerators were not trained to ask sensitive questions. The Census of India is governed by the Census Act, 1948, which gives the Registrar General sole authority over questions and training manuals. Disability rights groups, including the National Disability Network, have repeatedly asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to involve the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in drafting the schedule for 2027. The current enumeration manual does not train enumerators on how to ask about hidden disabilities, which would likely leave millions unrecorded again.
Source: indianexpress.com
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