The pressures of counting India: Challenges faced by Census enumerators
India's first fully digital Census, scheduled for 2027, is facing significant challenges during its Houselisting and Housing Operations (HLO) phase. Enumerators, mostly government school teachers, report issues like extreme heat, poor mobile connectivity, safety concerns, and hostility from residents, particularly in high-rise buildings. The digital divide affects data collection, with many recording on paper due to network issues. There's also pressure from supervisors to edit data, especially concerning sanitation, electricity, and LPG connections, to align with government scheme targets. The exercise, delayed since 2021, is crucial for policy planning, with the second phase set to collect caste data.
Key Points
- India's first fully digital Census, Census 2027, is encountering significant operational challenges during its initial Houselisting and Housing Operations (HLO) phase.
- Enumerators face difficulties including extreme weather conditions, poor mobile network connectivity, safety concerns, and resistance from residents in both urban and rural areas.
- The digital divide impacts data collection, as enumerators often resort to manual recording due to app crashes and unreliable network access, particularly in rural regions.
- Supervisors are reportedly pressuring enumerators to modify collected data, especially regarding access to latrines, treated water, and LPG connections, to reflect government scheme achievements.
- The Census 2027 is notable for being the first to be fully digital and the first to include caste data collection in its second phase, making accurate and unbiased data crucial for policy.
Exam Facts
- Census 2027 is India's first fully digital Census and the first to collect caste data.
- The Houselisting and Housing Operations (HLO) is the first phase of the Population Census 2027.
- Section 8(2) of the Census Act, 1948, legally binds residents to answer Census-related questions.
- The Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) portal enables real-time data monitoring.
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