Pilibhit: As Uttar Pradesh prepares to roll out the first phase of Census 2027 from May 7, Pilibhit officials remain unclear on how Indian citizens working abroad—particularly those who may return—will be counted in the exercise.
The issue surfaced during a training and awareness session organized by the district administration for media representatives at the collectorate on Tuesday. When the question was raised, officials and trained census staff were unable to clarify the procedure for enumerating such individuals.
During a presentation on the self-enumeration process, officials said family members living elsewhere within India would be counted at their current place of residence. However, they could not specify how those residing overseas would be included, as no provision addressing this scenario was explained.
Phases of Census 2027
District magistrate Gyanendra Singh said the first phase, involving self-enumeration through an app, will run from May 7 to 21, followed by a door-to-door housing census from May 22 to June 20, to be conducted by 4,117 enumerators.
“The second phase, covering population and caste enumeration, is scheduled between Feb 9 and 28, 2027,” he added.
Concerns Over Inclusivity
The lack of clarity has raised concerns about the inclusivity of the census process for the Indian diaspora. With many citizens working abroad temporarily or permanently, their accurate counting is crucial for demographic data and policy planning. Officials have yet to provide a clear directive on whether such individuals will be counted in their home districts or through other mechanisms.
Further training sessions are expected to address these gaps as the census dates approach.
