Lucknow: From Aadhaar and voter ID numbers to mobile and passport details, residents of Uttar Pradesh will be asked to furnish a range of personal information during the second phase of Census 2027, scheduled from Dec 1, 2026, to Jan 4, 2027.“The population enumeration questionnaire would contain 40 questions with the last seven focusing on Covid-19 vaccination, banking and identification-related information,” said director of census operations and chief principal census officer for Uttar Pradesh, Sheetal Verma.Question 34 will seek information on Covid-19 vaccination, including whether the individual was vaccinated and whether the jab was received within India or abroad.Question 35 will seek the number of bank accounts held by an individual, without asking for account numbers.Question 36 will ask whether the person has a mobile number and, if yes, require the number.Similarly, Question 37 will seek Aadhaar availability and the 12-digit number, if available, while Question 38 will ask for the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number of those possessing voter IDs.Question 39 will ask whether the individual holds an Indian passport and, if yes, seek its number. Question 40 will require only a yes-or-no response on driving licence availability.Verma clarified that enumerators would neither demand documents nor collect photocopies. Residents would only have to provide the relevant information.“These are questions for which people may need time to prepare their responses. We have instructed districts to inform households in advance so that residents can keep the required information ready,” she said.However, the exercise could face challenges in a state like Uttar Pradesh, with an estimated population of around 25 crore, where residents may be reluctant to disclose multiple personal identifiers over fears of data leaks, identity theft or misuse.There is also the possibility of respondents deliberately furnishing incorrect numbers or denying possession of documents, potentially affecting the accuracy of census records. The concern is compounded by the absence of a mechanism for enumerators to independently authenticate the information against official records during household visits.If someone possessing these documents falsely claimed otherwise, Verma said authorities would first have to establish that a respondent had deliberately provided false information.“If you want to lie, there is very little that can be done,” she remarked, while stressing that the Census Act legally obligates individuals to provide correct information.She explained that enumerators would record the responses furnished by individuals without demanding documentary evidence or cross-checking identification numbers.Countering apprehensions over possible misuse, Verma emphasised that individual census records were protected under Section 15 of the Census Act.“Once an enumerator collects it, nobody can see it. Not even I can see it,” she said, explaining that individual information would remain confidential and only aggregated statistics would be published.To further address such concerns, residents will have the option of self-enumeration through an online portal between Nov 16 and 30.Under this facility, individuals can complete the 40-question schedule for themselves and their household members and receive a unique self-enumeration ID.When an enumerator visits, residents can share this ID, allowing the enumerator to retrieve their responses and check whether any amendments are required before completing the submission.Verma said the facility would enable individuals to enter sensitive information themselves, reducing the time required for household visits from approximately 45 minutes to around 10 minutes.She reiterated that participation in the census was mandatory and residents were legally required to provide accurate information.The census will use Jan 5, 2027, as its reference date, followed by a revisional round from Jan 5 to 9 to record births, deaths and other changes.
