Disability Groups Criticise Proposed Census 2027 Categories
· India · The Hindu, Times of India, Indian Express
Disability rights organisations, led by the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), have flagged significant gaps in the proposed classification framework for the 2027 Census. Activists argue that the nine-category list fails to adequately represent the 21 specified disabilities recognised under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. While the proposal includes new categories like acid attack, chronic neurological disease, and blood disorder, it omits conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and muscular dystrophy. The NPRD noted that this framework contradicts previous assurances from Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale that all 21 disabilities would be captured. The current proposal largely retains categories used in the 2011 Census, which activists claim is insufficient for modern data collection.
Why it matters
Inaccurate or incomplete census data on disabilities can lead to the exclusion of millions of people from government welfare schemes and targeted policy interventions.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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