Congress questions 'flawed' Census 2027 methodology over caste questions

The Congress party has launched a scathing critique of the Census 2027 questionnaire, claiming the methodology behind caste-related inquiries is intentionally defective and serves undisclosed purposes. Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh raised concerns about the survey's design, asserting that the approach to caste enumeration deviates from established census practices.

Ramesh highlighted that the Census 2027 introduces several granular questions that have not featured in previous decennial surveys. These include micro-level inquiries into religion, date of birth, and place of birth of parents—details the Congress contends represent an unprecedented expansion of personal data collection.

The party's opposition centers on both the substance and structure of these new questions, with Ramesh suggesting the questionnaire framework carries implications beyond standard demographic enumeration. The Congress has not specified what alternative methodology it would prefer, but the comments reflect broader political concerns about data collection priorities in the upcoming census.

The Census 2027 questionnaire has emerged as a point of contention as various political parties scrutinize its content ahead of what will be India's first decennial count in over a decade. The final census design remains subject to refinement before enumeration begins.