Congress smells 'mischief' in Census Rules, says move could favour RSS-BJP workers

The Centre widened Census 2027 enumerator eligibility to private teachers and other suitable persons. Congress alleges the change could facilitate RSS and BJP participation and undermine the exercise.

In Short

• Government allows private school teachers, others as enumerators
• Congress claims Census to become Rozgar Guarantee Yojana for RSS-BJP workers
• says RSS held training camp on Census 2027 in Karnataka

The Congress has alleged that there is "mischief" behind the amended Census Rules, claiming the government wants to turn Census 2027 into a "Rozgar Guarantee Yojana" for thousands of RSS and BJP workers by allowing them to serve as enumerators, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

The Centre on Friday amended the Census Rules, 1990, allowing states and Union territories to appoint teachers from aided or unaided private institutions, as well as "any other person", as enumerators for the exercise.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Modi government had expanded the list of people eligible to work as enumerators for Census 2027. "There is much mischief behind it," he alleged.

Ramesh claimed that the RSS had organised a training camp for its cadre in Karnataka's Belgaum from July 10 to 12, with Census 2027 as its single-point agenda.

"The High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes set up by the Union Home Ministry on May 26, 2026 has just asked for inputs from the public, including Indian and foreign organisations, on demographic changes in the country. The only thing high level of this committee is the affiliation of its members to the RSS ecosystem. So we know where these inputs will come from," Ramesh alleged in a post on X.

He said the Census notification issued on October 16 should be viewed in the context of the RSS training camp held from July 10 to 12 and the demographic change committee's call for inputs on October 14.

"It is clear this is a Rozgar Guarantee Yojana for thousands of RSS/BJP workers. This will most certainly further contaminate an already subverted Census. Another institution is being destroyed. Like SIR, the Census will also be dangerously doctored," Ramesh alleged.

"There are no limits to the diabolical designs of the PM-HM duo," he added, targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

According to PTI, a gazette notification issued by Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan says "teachers, clerks, or any official or any person" can be appointed by states and Union territories as Census officers to perform the duties of enumerators.

The notification says teachers from government educational institutions, local authorities, aided or unaided private bodies, societies or trusts can be appointed as enumerators. Clerks or other officials of the central or state governments, local authorities and establishments, including public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, banks, companies, institutions, societies and trusts, are also eligible.

It further allows a state government or Union territory administration to appoint any person it considers suitable for the role.

The rules were amended after various high courts granted relief to teachers from aided or unaided private schools who had been assigned enumerator duties during the ongoing Census. The Congress has linked the expanded eligibility criteria to RSS activities and alleged that the changes could enable RSS and BJP workers to participate in Census 2027.

- Ends