Census 2027 to drop separate ‘beggars and vagrants’ category

India’s next census will make several changes to the information collected from households, including dropping the separate classification of “beggars and vagrants” from the non-economic activity category for the first time.

The Census 2027 questionnaire no longer lists “beggars and vagrants etc” as a distinct category among people engaged in non-economic activity. Instead, respondents falling under this classification will be included under “others”.

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The change follows concerns over the reliability of data from previous censuses. Only around 3.8 lakh non-workers and marginal workers identified themselves as beggars and vagrants in the 2011 Census, compared with 6.3 lakh in 2001 and around 5.4 lakh in 1991.

Officials said the figures were considered an undercount because of the social stigma associated with begging. Under census rules, enumerators are required to record an occupation or non-economic activity based on what the respondent declares.

"Census rules require the enumerator to record the occupation/non-economic activity as declared by the respondent," an officer said.

In earlier census exercises, beggars and vagrants were listed alongside students, people engaged in household duties, dependents, pensioners, rentiers and others under non-economic activity. With the separate category being removed, Census 2027 tables will no longer provide a distinct count or demographic breakdown of beggars and vagrants by age, religion, state or Union Territory, or educational status.

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Another significant addition to the Census 2027 questionnaire is “natural calamities” as a reason for migration. It will be listed alongside reasons such as work, business, education, marriage, moving after birth, moving with the household and “any other”.

The new census will also seek additional information about the parents of respondents. The “father’s particulars” and “mother’s particulars” sections will capture their date and place of birth as well as religion.

According to sources, these details will be required only when the parents are not members of the same household or are no longer alive. The enumeration form already collects religion and date and place of birth for each member of the household.

Officials said the additional parental information could allow the census to identify broader demographic patterns, including the prevalence of interfaith marriages across generations and possible patterns of religious conversion.

The date and place of birth of parents could also help generate aggregate information relevant to determining how many Indians meet citizenship criteria under the Citizenship Act.

Census 2027 will additionally seek details such as mobile numbers, Aadhaar numbers, voter ID numbers and Indian passport numbers, wherever available.

However, officials said respondents will not be compelled to provide these details if they remain unwilling to do so. Enumerators have been instructed to encourage people to share the information by assuring them that individual census data will remain confidential.

If a respondent declines, the relevant fields will be left blank.

"Even blank fields will enable the census team to cull out data on which of the documents - Aadhaar, voter ID and passport number - respondents are most reluctant to share due to privacy concerns," an official told TOI.

The changes reflect a broader effort to modify the Census 2027 questionnaire based on gaps and limitations identified in earlier enumeration exercises, while also expanding the information available on migration, family background and identity documents.

With inputs from TOI