The Hindu Editorial Analysis
10 June 2025
The Census and the Remaking of a People
(Source – The Hindu, National Edition – Page No. – 08)
Topic: GS 2: Polity and Governance – Representation of People, Federalism, Electoral Reforms
GS 1: Society – Population, Caste and Demographic Trends
Context
The upcoming Census 2027, delayed from 2021, will be India’s first digital census, capturing deep shifts in population, language, caste, and migration. The results will be crucial for parliamentary seat redistribution (delimitation), fiscal federalism, and political power alignment—particularly as India prepares for delimitation after 2026.
Introduction
A census is not just data—it’s the foundation of democracy.
Beyond counting people, the Census shapes identity, politics, and power. As India awaits its next enumeration, the emerging demographic trends—from migration to fertility—will have profound impacts on representation, governance, and federalism.
Key Objectives of Census 2027
- Capture Demographic Realities
- Total population, age distribution, urban-rural split, migration, fertility, and mortality.
- Also enumerates SCs/STs, literacy, economic activity, language, religion, and housing conditions.
- Enable Parliamentary Delimitation Post-2026
- Article 81 mandates readjustment of Lok Sabha seats based on new population data.
- This could shift political power toward northern, high-fertility States, creating a federal imbalance debate.
- Fuel Fiscal Reallocation
- Census is vital for Finance Commission recommendations, including resource-sharing formulae between Centre and States.
Major Themes Emerging from the Editorial
1. Representation and Political Power
- States with faster population growth (e.g., Uttar Pradesh, Bihar) may gain more seats in Parliament post-delimitation.
- Southern States, with better population control, may lose relative political power despite strong governance records.
- This risks disincentivizing family planning success.
2. Caste and Reservation Debate
- Demand to enumerate caste data separately from SC/STs is resurging.
- The last caste census (1931) triggered complex debates on quotas and socio-economic justice.
- The push for a caste census, especially from the BJP and opposition parties, seeks to realign political narratives around subaltern empowerment.
3. Migration and Mobility
- Census data will reveal inter-state migration, especially post-COVID, and its influence on urban planning, job creation, and local politics.
- Example: Kerala sends large numbers of migrants out; Maharashtra and Delhi receive them—shifting cultural, linguistic, and political dynamics.
Challenges in the Upcoming Census
- Delayed Enumeration:
- Census 2021 was delayed due to COVID-19. The 2027 Census will be held after an unprecedented 16-year gap.
- Data Sensitivity and Political Exploitation
- Caste and religion-based data could be used for vote-bank mobilization, disturbing social cohesion.
- Governance & Trust
- Digital enumeration raises concerns about privacy, digital divide, and data integrity.
Opportunities Ahead
- Digital Census: Faster, more accurate enumeration.
- Delimitation as a Democratic Reset: Chance to fix representation imbalances and encourage population management.
- Data-Driven Welfare Policies: More targeted health, education, and infrastructure schemes.
- BJP’s Nation-Building Agenda: A new national identity rooted in demographic realism and governance claims.
Conclusion
India’s Census is more than a statistical project—
It is a remaking of the republic.
As we move towards 2027, the exercise could redefine who gets represented, how resources are shared, and what it means to be “the people of India.” If used wisely, it could rebalance democracy. If politicized, it could deepen divisions.
The choice is ours.