Personal data safety concern over census as experts question collection of Aadhaar, mobile numbers

Several public policy experts have questioned the need to share personal information such as mobile and Aadhaar numbers and parental details with census enumerators, highlighting the challenge of protecting such a vast and sensitive data pool.

The Registrar General of India has notified a 40-item questionnaire for Census 2027, including 13 new fields compared to the 2011 census. The additional information that the government seeks includes parents’ particulars, number of bank accounts, permanent residential address and mobile, Aadhaar, voter ID and passport numbers.