The Centre has amended the Census Rules, 1990, allowing state governments and Union territory administrations to appoint teachers working in aided and unaided private institutions as enumerators for Census operations. The move comes amid legal challenges across several states, where courts have questioned or stayed orders requiring private school staff to perform census duties. A notification issued by Registrar General of India (RGI) Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan on Friday expands the categories of people who can be appointed as census officers. Under the revised rules, teachers, clerks, government officials and other suitable individuals can be assigned census-related responsibilities by the respective state or Union territory administrations.
The amendment specifically includes teachers employed by educational institutions run by the government, local authorities, aided or unaided private bodies, societies and trusts. It also covers clerks and officials working with the central and state governments, local authorities and establishments such as public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, banks, companies, institutions, societies and trusts. Other people considered suitable by the relevant administration can also be appointed.
Centre's move comes amid legal challenges over census duty
The amendment comes against the backdrop of multiple court cases involving the deployment of teachers from private schools for census work. Several high courts have granted relief to such staff, raising questions about whether private institutions and their employees can be compelled to participate under the existing legal framework.
One such case is pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where the Haryana Progressive Schools Conference challenged the state's move to requisition teaching staff from private unaided schools for census duties. Justice Harpreet Singh Brar stayed the operation of two communications issued by the Haryana government seeking details of teachers available for census work. The matter has been listed for further hearing on April 29, 2027.
The petitioner argued that neither the Census Act, 1948, nor the rules framed under it authorised the government to requisition employees of private unaided schools as enumerators or supervisors. It also relied on Section 4A of the Act, which provides for making officers and staff of local authorities available for census-related work, contending that private unaided schools and their employees do not fall within that category.
Allahabad High Court had also stayed staff requisition order
In May, the Allahabad High Court stayed directions issued by the District Inspector of Schools in Gautam Budh Nagar seeking details of teaching and non-teaching staff from aided and unaided institutions for census duties.
The court observed, "The court prima facie finds that the teaching and non-teaching staff of private institutions, whether aided or unaided, cannot be said to fall within the purview of local authorities, i.e., the B.S.A., D.I.O.S., and the D.P.R.O., who alone are required to provide their staff."
Bombay High Court bench cited earlier judicial rulings
The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court also dealt with a petition filed by teachers of Centre Point School challenging an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation appointing them as enumerators and supervisors for census work. The petition alleged that the deputy commissioner had threatened the school's principal with criminal action if the order was not complied with.
In May, the bench observed, "Thus, consistent view of the Apex Court as well as various High Courts and this Court is that the teachers or non-teaching staff of aided or unaided schools cannot be deputed for the work of Election as well as for the work of census."
The Centre's amendment now expressly includes teachers from aided and unaided private institutions among those who may be appointed as census officers. Its implications for the pending legal disputes and the implementation of such appointments will depend on the revised rules and any further judicial directions.
Census 2027 to be conducted in two phases
The 2027 Census, the eighth since Independence, will be conducted in two stages: house-listing and housing census, followed by population enumeration. The decennial exercise was originally scheduled for 2021 but was postponed because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Union Cabinet has approved an allocation of Rs 11,718 crore for the exercise, which is expected to be the largest population-counting exercise undertaken in the country to date.
Population enumeration in Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, along with areas outside the snow-bound regions of Uttarakhand, is scheduled from December 1, 2026, to January 4, 2027. The schedule has been adjusted in view of assembly elections due in these states next year.
The Registrar General of India said last month that house-listing operations for Census 2027 had been deferred in Manipur. Meanwhile, the exercise in Ladakh and the non-synchronous snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand was conducted from September 1 to 30. For the rest of the country, the exercise is expected to begin in February 2027. It will collect information on demographic, socio-cultural and economic indicators, along with household-level details and individuals' migration and fertility characteristics.
(With inputs from PTI)
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