Assam tightens rules for Census 2027 duty
Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The Assam government has tightened norms for officials and employees engaged in the upcoming Census of India-2027, directing that no leave of any kind, including Casual Leave (CL), Earned Leave (EL) and Child Care Leave (CCL), shall be granted to personnel assigned to census work without prior approval from the designated census authority. The government has also warned that any lapse in the discharge of census duties will attract penal action under the Census Act, 1948.
Different departments and District Commissioners have issued their respective orders on the subject. The orders apply to all employees deployed for Census 2027, including Master Trainers (MT), Field Trainers (FT), Enumerators, Supervisors, staff members and reserve personnel. Heads of departments have been instructed not to sanction leave for such employees unless prior approval is obtained from the competent authority.
The government has also warned that any lapse in the discharge of census duties will attract penal action under the Census Act, 1948. According to the orders issued by the authorities concerned, failure to perform census duties, negligence, asking offensive questions during enumeration or tampering with census documents may lead to imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to Rs 1,000, or both under Section 11 of the Act of 1948.
In a separate appointment order issued for the Houselisting and Housing Census 2027, officials selected as Enumerators and Supervisors have been informed that they are deemed to be public servants under Sections 5 and 11 of the Census Act, 1948, and are legally bound to perform census-related duties. Refusal to carry out assigned responsibilities is punishable under the Act.
The appointed personnel have also been directed to attend mandatory training programmes as per the notified schedule before the commencement of census operations.
Assam's Census 2027 operations will be done in two phases. The Houselisting and Housing Census will take place from August 17 to September 15, 2026, with an online self-enumeration window from August 2 to August 16. The second phase of Population Enumeration is scheduled for February 2027.
For the first time, the census exercise will be fully digital, utilising mobile applications for data collection. Key details for the exercise include a Self-Enumeration Portal where residents can fill out their housing and amenity details online from August 2 to 16, 2026; Field Operations: House-to-house enumeration will be carried out by deployed field enumerators across Assam's districts between August 17 and September 15, 2026.
In Phase Two of the Census operation, the Population Enumeration and National Population Register (NPR) update will take place in February 2027, with a reference date of March 1, 2027.
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