Disability advocates warn Census 2027 framework omits key conditions

Disability rights organisations have flagged significant gaps in the framework being prepared for Census 2027, arguing that the proposed disability categories do not align with the comprehensive list of conditions recognised under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.

Activists contend that the Census framework excludes several disabilities that were formally acknowledged when Parliament passed the RPwD Act six years ago. The omissions, they warn, risk creating incomplete data on disability prevalence across India, which could influence policy decisions and resource allocation for support services.

The RPwD Act recognises 21 categories of disabilities, including conditions such as specific learning disabilities, mental health conditions, and multiple disabilities. However, advocates suggest the Census enumeration strategy does not account for all these recognised categories, potentially marginalising certain disabled populations from official statistical records.

The issue comes as India prepares for its decennial Census, a critical exercise for gathering demographic data that guides government planning and resource distribution. Rights groups have urged Census authorities to revise the disability categories to ensure comprehensive representation and accurate counting of all persons with disabilities as defined in national law.

Civil society organisations have called for stakeholder consultations with the Census division to bridge the gap between statutory definitions of disability and the enumeration framework before finalisation of Census protocols.