Only 9 disability categories in Census 2027 form, rights groups want all 21

Rights groups have expressed concerns regarding the proposed categories for enumerating persons with disabilities in the upcoming Census 2027. Currently, only nine disability categories have been proposed for enumeration, which has been criticized as insufficient. The self-enumeration process for snowbound areas in Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh began on August 17 and will conclude on August 31.

The previous Census of 2011 had only recorded six categories of disabilities, capturing 2.68 crore persons with disabilities, which accounted for 2.21% of the country's population. The National Platform for the Rights of Disabled (NPRD), backed by over 400 signatories, is demanding that the 2027 Census encompass all 21 disabilities officially recognized under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD), 2016.

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale had stated in March that Census 2027 would capture data for 21 disabilities, emphasizing it as a significant opportunity for targeted policymaking for persons with disabilities. The enumeration suggests categorizing disabilities broadly, including seeing, hearing, speech, mobility, intellectual disabilities, mental illness, disabilities due to acid attacks, chronic neurological diseases, and blood disorders.

However, this approach raises concerns about the inclusion of distinct conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, specific learning disabilities, dwarfism, leprosy-cured persons, and multiple disabilities, including deafblindness. Rights groups argue that the broad categories fail to accurately represent and disaggregate data for specific disabilities, leading to incomplete and inaccurate information that could hinder effective policy-making and resource allocation.