Private School Staff Roped In For Census 2027 Amid Manpower Shortage

Despite earlier directions to 51 departments to provide staff, gaps in deployment led authorities to seek assistance from private schools. According to Additional District Magistrate (Finance/Revenue) Saurabh Bhatt, meetings were held with school principals and the district inspector of schools to secure cooperation, reported The Times Of India. Each participating school has deputed 10-15 teachers for the exercise, in line with a state government order permitting such engagement. A similar approach was followed during Census 2011. Timeline and Responsibilities The house listing and housing enumeration phase is scheduled from May 22 to June 20, with enumerators receiving an honorarium of Rs 25,000 upon completion. Attendance at training sessions and related activities has been made mandatory. Officials have already issued warning notices to around 100 enumerators who skipped a recent training session, cautioning that repeated absence could lead to salary withholding and action under the Census Act. Administrative Framework and Oversight The exercise is being conducted under a structured administrative setup, including 16 charge officers, 4 master trainers, 134 field trainers and over 1,600 supervisors. District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar has directed all departments to relieve assigned personnel from routine duties to prioritise census work. He also warned that accountability will extend to department heads if their staff fail to comply. Residents will have the option to self-enumerate online from May 7 to May 21. Additionally, the administration plans an awareness campaign involving Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), industries, and trader groups to boost participation. (KNN Bureau)