CENSUS 2021 update on disability question

[Vaishnavi Jayakumar]

Hi all,

Extended deadline was supposed to be June 2023 end - it has been pushed again for no good reason. If elections can happen, census can happen - other countries have held despite / after pandemic. Hope this is taken up during monsoon session in Parliament 😡

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/with-new-date-to-fix-boundaries-census-unlikely-before-2024-lok-sabha-polls/article67031829.ece

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/census-delayed-deadline-administrative-boundaries-pushed-8697397/

While reading The Hindu article, I stumbled upon this ebook (recently released, inaccessible but can search) which has the 2021 pre-test census question on disability - the enumerator instructions are also there.

Initial thoughts : 

1. Any other has been dropped, which is restrictive for the not yet listed disabilities
2. Autism and specific learning disabilities are lumped under the renamed Intellectual disability.
3. Movement disability has been renamed as mobility (which in my opinion is a subset of movement and therefore limits further)

This is the version used for pre-test.

2021 : Q.9 Disability

9(a) : is this person mentally/physically disabled?

Yes = 1 / No = 2

9(b) : If 'Yes' in 9(a), give code in the box against 9(b) from the list below

9(c) : If 'multiple disability' (Code '0') in 9(b), give maximum three codes in boxes against 9(c) from the list below

1 = In Seeing.

2 = In Hearing.

3 = In Speech.

4 = In Mobility.

5 = Intellectual disability.

6 = Mental illness.

7 = Due to acid attack.

8 = Due to chronic neurological disease.

9 = Due to blood disorder.

0 = Multiple disability.

(Explanation in Instruction Manual)