The Centre has widened the pool of people who can conduct the upcoming national headcount. Under the amended Census Rules, 1990, private school teachers, bank and company employees, and members of societies or trusts can now be appointed as Census 2027 enumerators.
Until now, the work was mainly handled by government school teachers, revenue officials and other State government employees. The change will help States and Union Territories arrange enough trained staff for the large-scale exercise.
What the new rule allows
The Registrar General of India has issued a gazette notification amending the Census Rules, 1990. It permits State governments and Union Territory administrations to appoint Census officers from a broader set of categories.
The eligible categories include:
- Teachers of government, local authority, aided and unaided private educational institutions, societies and trusts.
- Clerks or officials of the Central or State governments, local authorities, public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, banks, companies, institutions, societies and trusts.
- Any other person considered suitable by the State government or Union Territory administration.
Why the government changed the rules
The amendment comes at a time when several High Courts had stayed orders requiring private and aided institution staff to perform census-related duties. By clearly naming these categories in the rules, the Centre has provided a stronger legal basis for their appointment.
The move is also practical. Census enumeration requires a very large workforce for house-listing, population counting and data collection. Expanding the eligible pool gives administrations more flexibility, especially in urban areas where government staff may not be enough.
What it means for private teachers
Private school teachers can now be formally considered for Census 2027 enumerator duty. However, the amended rule does not automatically mean every private teacher will be sent for fieldwork. The final decision will rest with the concerned State government or Union Territory administration.
Teachers from both aided and unaided private institutions are covered under the revised provision. The change also applies to staff of societies and trusts running educational institutions.
Bigger role for non-government staff
The notification goes beyond teachers. Employees of banks, companies, PSUs and statutory bodies can also be appointed as enumerators, subject to the State administration’s decision. This marks a major shift from the earlier practice of relying mainly on government employees.
For Census 2027, the government appears to be preparing a wider and more flexible workforce. The amended rules are expected to make it easier for States to complete enumeration work on time while reducing dependence on a limited group of government staff.
