Census repeats 'Nishakt' term used in 2011, activists object

New Delhi: Disability rights activists have objected to being termed as "nihshakt" (or incapable) in the ongoing Census 2027 exercise and have red-flagged it as "derogatory" and "illegal". India has been using "divyangjan" in Hindi for persons with disabilities since 2016.

The home ministry's gazette notification in Hindi, dated August 14, 2026, lays down that the census officers will be collecting information on 40 parameters. On serial number 13, the notification lays down "nihshaktata" (translated to incapacity) as one of the parameters. While the English translation terms it as "disability", the Hindi description has raised the hackles of disability rights activists.

Speaking to ET, Akeel Ahmad Usmani, founder of Disability Rights Advocacy Group, said, "This usage is derogatory and defunct. It also violates the government's own law -- the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016. The government has been using the term 'divyang' for persons with disabilities."


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Activists say the Registrar General of India, the authority for conducting the Census, has copied the 2011 Census parameters. "In 2011, the word used was 'nishaktata'. But then the current laws were not in place. The Registrar General seems to have simply copied the parameters without being mindful of the laws. At that time, disability was at serial no.9, now at 13," he said. When this was flagged to the authorities by ET, an official of the RGI office said, "Earlier use of 'nishakt' in the enumeration form as in the last Census is an inadvertence. Currently, 'divyangata' is being used in the enumeration form." The government may need to notify this in the gazette since the word has been mentioned in the notification.

India is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and had formulated Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 to align its legislation to its international commitments. Prime Minister had used the term "divyangjan" for the first time on December 3, 2015 while launching Accessible India Campaign, India's flagship mission to make its public infrastructure disabled-friendly. He had spoken about it extensively in his 'Mann Ki Baat' episode aired on December 27, 2015 paving the way for the government to make the usage official in 2016. The nodal department in the government of India was formed in 2012, under the ministry of social justice and empowerment, and called "department of disability affairs". However, it was renamed "Divyangjan Sashaktikaran Vibhaag" to align with the government's flagship programme.

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Executive director, NCPEDP, Arman Ali (disability rights advocate) said, "This opportunity to get counted has come after 15 years.... Digital self-enumeration is an opportunity to not leave anyone behind, but our attempts to get information or awareness initiatives have not been heard."

A questionnaire sent to DEPwD went unanswered. A government official, who did not wish to be identified, told ET, "The language and terminology has evolved. The government's commitment is visible in how it has named the department and all its official documents."