A national census is one of the most important exercises undertaken by the Central Government once every ten years. Its primary purpose is to gather accurate demographic data, population density figures, housing information, and other statistics that help governments formulate laws, welfare schemes, infrastructure projects, and public policies. Although the census scheduled after the COVID-19 pandemic was postponed for administrative reasons, it is now expected to be conducted in February 2027.
Against this backdrop, the decision to undertake a large-scale pre-census exercise in April and May 2026 raises serious concerns. Thousands of government employees, including teaching faculty from schools and colleges, have been diverted from their primary responsibilities to collect extensive household information. Survey teams have been gathering details such as the number of buildings and houses, flooring and roofing materials, electricity connections, LPG usage, income levels, and several other particulars. Much of this information is likely to be collected again during the official census, resulting in duplication of effort and unnecessary expenditure of valuable human resources.
The most visible impact has been on the education sector. Teachers who should be engaged in classroom instruction, examinations, mentoring, and academic planning have instead been assigned survey duties for several weeks. As a result, colleges and universities have witnessed disruptions in teaching schedules, forcing many institutions to revise academic calendars and compress coursework within shorter timelines.
Students pursuing degree and professional courses are among the worst affected. Lost classroom hours cannot be easily recovered, and rushed completion of syllabi compromises the quality of education. Academic pressure on both students and teachers increases significantly when schedules are compressed to compensate for administrative assignments unrelated to education.
Governments must ensure that data collection exercises are scientifically planned and coordinated with existing national programmes. Public administration should not come at the cost of education. Teachers are nation-builders, and their time should be reserved primarily for teaching, learning, and shaping the future of students rather than being engaged in repetitive bureaucratic exercises.
Susanth Law Intern
Against this backdrop, the decision to undertake a large-scale pre-census exercise in April and May 2026 raises serious concerns. Thousands of government employees, including teaching faculty from schools and colleges, have been diverted from their primary responsibilities to collect extensive household information. Survey teams have been gathering details such as the number of buildings and houses, flooring and roofing materials, electricity connections, LPG usage, income levels, and several other particulars. Much of this information is likely to be collected again during the official census, resulting in duplication of effort and unnecessary expenditure of valuable human resources.
The most visible impact has been on the education sector. Teachers who should be engaged in classroom instruction, examinations, mentoring, and academic planning have instead been assigned survey duties for several weeks. As a result, colleges and universities have witnessed disruptions in teaching schedules, forcing many institutions to revise academic calendars and compress coursework within shorter timelines.
Students pursuing degree and professional courses are among the worst affected. Lost classroom hours cannot be easily recovered, and rushed completion of syllabi compromises the quality of education. Academic pressure on both students and teachers increases significantly when schedules are compressed to compensate for administrative assignments unrelated to education.
Governments must ensure that data collection exercises are scientifically planned and coordinated with existing national programmes. Public administration should not come at the cost of education. Teachers are nation-builders, and their time should be reserved primarily for teaching, learning, and shaping the future of students rather than being engaged in repetitive bureaucratic exercises.
Susanth Law Intern
