Census rules amended, private school teachers can now be deployed as enumerators

The Centre has amended the Census Rules, 1990, allowing state governments and Union territory administrations to appoint teachers working in aided and unaided private institutions as enumerators for Census operations. The move comes amid legal challenges across several states, where courts have questioned or stayed orders requiring private school staff to perform census duties. A notification issued by Registrar General of India (RGI) Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan on Friday expands the categories of people who can be appointed as census officers. Under the revised rules, teachers, clerks, government officials and other suitable individuals can be assigned census-related responsibilities by the respective state or Union territory administrations.