UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Field Operations for Houselisting and Housing Census commences in Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and MCD area of Delhi

Q1. The provision that makes individual records collected during the decennial Census of India strictly confidential — neither open to inspection nor admissible in evidence — is contained in which one of the following?

  • A. Section 8 of the Census Act, 1948
  • B. Section 11 of the Census Act, 1948
  • C. Section 15 of the Census Act, 1948
  • D. Section 17 of the Census Act, 1948

Q2. Under the Census Act, 1948, a person who intentionally gives a false answer to, or refuses to answer, a question lawfully put by a census-officer under Section 8 shall be punishable with a fine which may extend to:

  • A. ₹500
  • B. ₹1,000
  • C. ₹5,000
  • D. ₹10,000

Q3. The Registrar General of India coordinates the Civil Registration System (CRS) in India under the provisions of which one of the following Acts?

  • A. The Census Act, 1948
  • B. The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969
  • C. The Citizenship Act, 1955
  • D. The Collection of Statistics Act, 2008

Q4. With reference to the Census 2027 Houselisting and Housing Operations that commenced in May 2026, the field operations are conducted solely by which one of the following authorities?

  • A. National Sample Survey Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • B. Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs
  • C. Unique Identification Authority of India under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • D. National Statistical Commission under NITI Aayog

Q5. For Census 2027, the reference moment for Population Enumeration has been notified as 00:00 hours of 1 October 2026 (instead of 1 March 2027) for how many of the following States/Union Territories — Ladakh, snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh?

  • A. Only two
  • B. Only three
  • C. Only four
  • D. Only five

Q6. Census 2027, described as India's first fully digital census, is being conducted by which one of the following authorities?

  • A. National Statistical Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • B. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs
  • C. Unique Identification Authority of India under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • D. NITI Aayog under the Cabinet Secretariat

Q7. With reference to Census 2027 in comparison with earlier Indian censuses, consider the following statements: 1. It will be the first census in which household data is captured entirely on paper schedules and later digitised at central processing units. 2. The Self-Enumeration facility introduced in Census 2027 is mandatory for every household and replaces house-to-house enumeration by field enumerators. 3. It will be the first census since 1931 to enumerate the caste of the entire population. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It will be the first census in which household data is captured entirely on paper schedules and later digitised at central processing units.
  2. The Self-Enumeration facility introduced in Census 2027 is mandatory for every household and replaces house-to-house enumeration by field enumerators.
  3. It will be the first census since 1931 to enumerate the caste of the entire population.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. In Indian census history, the last decennial Census that collected and published detailed caste data for every member of the household was the Census of which one of the following years?

  • A. 1921
  • B. 1931
  • C. 1941
  • D. 1951

Q9. Which one of the following is the nodal authority entrusted with operationalising the caste enumeration component of Census 2027 in the field?

  • A. National Commission for Backward Classes
  • B. Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India
  • C. Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Ministry of Home Affairs
  • D. National Sample Survey Office, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

Q10. The first synchronous decennial census of India was conducted during the Viceroyalty of which one of the following?

  • A. Lord Mayo
  • B. Lord Lytton
  • C. Lord Ripon
  • D. Lord Dufferin

Q11. With reference to the historical evolution of the Census of India, consider the following statements: 1. The first population census of India was conducted in 1872 during the Viceroyalty of Lord Mayo. 2. The first synchronous census of India was carried out in 1881. 3. The Census of India 2021 was the first instance in the unbroken decennial series since 1872 in which the census was postponed. 4. Census 2027 will be conducted under the Census Act, 1950. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. The first population census of India was conducted in 1872 during the Viceroyalty of Lord Mayo.
  2. The first synchronous census of India was carried out in 1881.
  3. The Census of India 2021 was the first instance in the unbroken decennial series since 1872 in which the census was postponed.
  4. Census 2027 will be conducted under the Census Act, 1950.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q12. With reference to the National Population Register (NPR) being updated alongside Phase I of Census 2027, consider the following statements: Which of the above statements is/are NOT correct?

  1. NPR is prepared and updated under the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.
  2. The NPR is a register of all usual residents of the country and includes both citizens and non-citizens.
  3. Submission of documentary proof of citizenship by the respondent is mandatory during the exercise of NPR updation.
  4. NPR is the first step towards the creation of the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC).
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q13. For the purpose of preparation and updation of the National Population Register (NPR), the term 'usual resident' is defined as:

  • A. An Indian citizen aged 18 years or above who is enrolled on the electoral roll of the local area.
  • B. A person who has resided in a local area for the past six months or more, OR who intends to reside in that area for the next six months or more.
  • C. Any person, being a citizen of India, who has been ordinarily resident at the same address for a continuous period of not less than twelve months.
  • D. A person holding an Aadhaar number issued from an address located within the local area concerned.

Q14. In the Houselisting Schedule of Census 2027, the expression "predominant material" of the wall of a census house refers to the material which —

  • A. is used in the greatest proportion / area in the construction of the wall
  • B. has the highest monetary cost among the materials used in the wall
  • C. bears the structural load of the roof resting on the wall
  • D. was most recently added during any renovation of the wall

Q15. How many questions have been notified in the Houselisting Schedule of Phase I of Census 2027?

  • A. 29
  • B. 31
  • C. 33
  • D. 35