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

Rights groups have expressed worry over the Census 2027 form only proposing nine categories to count persons with disabilities, as opposed to all 21 officially recognised disabilities under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD), 2016. The issue stems from the self-enumeration process for snowbound regions in Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh, which has recently become accessible for self-reporting from August 17 to 31.

The Census will undergo a revisional round from October 1 to 5. The National Platform for the Rights of Disabled (NPRD), supported by over 400 signatories, is demanding the inclusion of all 21 disabilities. The nine categories proposed consist of seeing, hearing, speech, mobility, intellectual disabilities, mental illness, disability caused by acid attacks, chronic neurological diseases, and blood disorders.

The 2011 Census recorded 2.68 crore persons with disabilities, accounting for 2.21% of the population. The enumeration process currently captures broader categories encompassing additional specific disabilities, and enumerators are not trained to assess individual disabilities. Critics argue that the broad categories will lead to inaccurate data, leaving certain disability groups 'invisible' in official statistics, which could impact policy-making, budgetary allocation, and accountability.