UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Form used in Census second phase rehearsal has ‘open column’ for caste

Q1. The pre-test (rehearsal) for Phase-II of Census 2027, whose questionnaire carries an 'open column' for caste, is being conducted under the authority of which of the following?

  • A. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India (ORGI), under the Ministry of Home Affairs
  • B. National Statistical Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • C. Ministry of Rural Development
  • D. National Commission for Backward Classes

Q2. In the context of the Census 2027 rehearsal questionnaire, the term 'open column' for caste is best described as which of the following?

  • A. A blank write-in field in which a respondent's caste is recorded exactly as stated, without any pre-set list
  • B. A drop-down menu of pre-codified castes from which the enumerator selects the closest match
  • C. A column deliberately left blank so that the household's income group can be classified later
  • D. A field auto-populated from the respondent's Aadhaar-linked caste certificate

Q3. Before the 2025 decision to enumerate all castes, in which year was the caste of the entire population (not just SCs/STs) last recorded in an Indian Census?

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

Q4. With reference to the history of caste enumeration in Indian censuses, consider the following statements: 1. Caste of the entire population was recorded in British Indian censuses from 1881 to 1931. 2. From the 1951 Census onward, only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were enumerated by caste. 3. The Mandal Commission relied on 1931 caste data to estimate the OBC population. 4. The 1961 Census reintroduced full caste enumeration for all communities. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Caste of the entire population was recorded in British Indian censuses from 1881 to 1931.
  2. From the 1951 Census onward, only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were enumerated by caste.
  3. The Mandal Commission relied on 1931 caste data to estimate the OBC population.
  4. The 1961 Census reintroduced full caste enumeration for all communities.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q5. The caste enumeration approved by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs in 2025 for Census 2027 will be operationalised by which of the following?

  • A. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India, under the Ministry of Home Affairs
  • B. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
  • C. Ministry of Rural Development
  • D. National Commission for Backward Classes

Q6. As decided by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, caste enumeration will be carried out as part of Census 2027, which is being conducted in how many phases?

  • A. 2
  • B. 3
  • C. 4
  • D. 1

Q7. The Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 threw up approximately how many distinct caste/sub-caste names, synonyms and surnames — a figure cited as a key reason its caste data was found unusable?

  • A. About 46 lakh
  • B. About 4.6 lakh
  • C. About 6.4 lakh
  • D. About 46 thousand

Q8. Consider the following statements comparing the SECC 2011 with the regular decennial Census: 1. SECC 2011 was conducted by the Ministry of Rural Development (with the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs), outside the framework of the Census Act, 1948. 2. Unlike the decennial Census's published tables, the caste data of SECC 2011 was never officially released as usable categories. 3. SECC 2011 used a pre-codified drop-down list of castes, whereas the Census 2027 rehearsal uses an open column. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. SECC 2011 was conducted by the Ministry of Rural Development (with the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs), outside the framework of the Census Act, 1948.
  2. Unlike the decennial Census's published tables, the caste data of SECC 2011 was never officially released as usable categories.
  3. SECC 2011 used a pre-codified drop-down list of castes, whereas the Census 2027 rehearsal uses an open column.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. With reference to the Bihar caste survey and its methodology, consider the following statements: 1. It used a pre-defined list of castes for respondents to choose from, rather than an open write-in column. 2. Extremely Backward Classes formed the single largest social segment in its findings. 3. Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes together comprised over 63% of the state's population. 4. It was conducted by the Office of the Registrar General of India under the Census Act, 1948. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. It used a pre-defined list of castes for respondents to choose from, rather than an open write-in column.
  2. Extremely Backward Classes formed the single largest social segment in its findings.
  3. Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes together comprised over 63% of the state's population.
  4. It was conducted by the Office of the Registrar General of India under the Census Act, 1948.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 2 and 3

Q10. In the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, 'Census' is enumerated as a subject at which entry of the Union List?

  • A. Entry 69
  • B. Entry 66
  • C. Entry 97
  • D. Entry 45

Q11. The open-column-for-caste method is being trialled in the Phase-II rehearsal of Census 2027 across how many States/UTs?

  • A. 16
  • B. 28
  • C. 36
  • D. 8

Q12. For India's first digital Census (2027), approximately how many enumerators and supervisors are being mobilised to carry out the field exercise?

  • A. About 31 lakh
  • B. About 13 lakh
  • C. About 3.1 lakh
  • D. About 27 lakh