Census 2027 Removes Separate Category for Beggars and Vagrants

The government’s Census 2027 will exclude a dedicated entry for ‘beggars and vagrants etc’ from its list of non-economic activities, a departure from previous enumerations. Sources indicate the decision stems from the low response rate in the 2011 census, where roughly 3.8 lakh people reported themselves in that category, offering limited analytical benefit. Instead, the new form will incorporate natural calamities as an explicit migration motive, aiming to capture more relevant displacement data.

This adjustment is part of a broader effort to simplify the questionnaire and prioritize information with greater policy relevance. The change was noted by senior editor Bharti Jain, who has a long background covering security and political affairs. The revised approach may affect how social welfare and migration trends are measured in future policy planning.