No documentation needed: Census official clarifies misconceptions, dismisses link to SIR
New Delhi, June 8
Amidst ongoing public discourse regarding administrative data collection, Dr Jitendra Gouda, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Census Operations, on Monday issued a clear clarification to address concerns about the upcoming Census process.
Speaking to ANI, Gouda categorically stated that there is no connection between the Census and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). He further emphasised that the Census process requires no documentation to be presented by the public.
"There is no link between Census and SIR. No document is required to be presented for the Census," he said.
The official also addressed challenges faced during the first phase of the exercise, noting that officials encountered hesitation from tenants regarding the enumeration process. To overcome these hurdles, the Directorate utilised outreach initiatives, including street plays and awareness vans, to educate the public on the importance of the exercise.
"We faced a challenge in the first phase - hesitation for enumeration by those living as tenants. We used different methods, like street plays and vans, to spread awareness about the Census. The information collected from the public is completely safe," he said.
Gouda provided strong assurances regarding the safety of the information collected, stressing that privacy is a top priority. "The information collected from the public is completely safe," he said. "The data is never published on the individual level, but on the aggregate level".
The first phase of the Census in Delhi, which involved self-enumeration, was conducted smoothly, while the second phase, scheduled from May 16 to June 14, has now reached its final stage.
While praising authorities for their extraordinary contribution in the ongoing census, he said, "The district authorities have managed this to a great extent. They have held meetings at their level and, where required, even deployed Civil Defence authorities to ensure every effort is made to collect information.
Gouda assured citizens that the process is fully secure under the Census Act of 1948. "The information collected from the general public is completely safe. The Act also specifies that your information will not be shared with any other agency," he said.
Addressing concerns about the Census, Gouda further explained the methodology, stating, "In the Census, we follow the concept of 'Normally Resident.' We count individuals wherever they normally reside. We do not follow the concept of 'Permanent Resident,' and domicile status or permanent residence is not considered for this purpose."
— ANI
Reader Comments
The 'Normally Resident' concept is important. I know many people in cities who moved for work but still get counted at their hometown. That probably needs more awareness. Also, the no-documentation rule is reassuring for tenants who might not have proper IDs. Good to hear privacy is protected under the 1948 Act. 👍
In developed countries, people trust their census systems because of strong privacy laws. India's Census Act of 1948 is old but seems to protect data well - if it's seriously enforced. The key is ensuring field staff are honest and data isn't leaked. Glad to hear aggregate-level publication only.
Yaar, but why did they link it to SIR in the first place? Delhi is full of rumours - one WhatsApp forward and people panic. At least the official is being transparent now. But I'm still cautious about data security - we've seen Aadhaar leaks happen. Need stricter penalties for misuse.
Street plays and vans - that's how you reach the aam aadmi! Not everyone reads newspapers or watches news channels. The hesitation from tenants is real - I've seen it in my own building. They're scared the data might be used by police or landlord. Good that officials are addressing this directly. But need more local language material.
Interesting that they're using self-enumeration for the first phase. In the US, we do that too but follow up with in-person visits. The 'Normally Resident' approach is actually more logical than 'Permanent Resident' given India's high internal migration. Privacy assurances are crucial given recent concerns about data misuse.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.