NCSC Issues Notice Over Caste‑Slur Synonyms in Punjab Census 2027 Forms

The NCSC has sent a formal notice to the Director of Census Operations in Punjab and to the state’s Social Justice Department . The notice concerns the use of caste‑slur synonyms for Scheduled Castes in the online forms for Census 2027 in Punjab. Key Developments Complaint lodged by Hardeep Singh Gill , Vice‑Chairperson of the National Safai Karmachari Commission, citing offensive terms like ‘Chura’ and ‘Bhangi’ listed as synonyms for the Valmiki community on the self‑enumeration website. The NCSC’s notice dated 14 May 2026 requests an action‑taken report from both the census director and the Punjab government within 15 days. Union Home Ministry runs the census portal, but the state is being asked to ensure no slur‑based terminology is used. Political leaders, including former legislators and AAP MLA Kulwant Singh Sidhu , have raised the issue, warning of law‑and‑order concerns if enumerators utter such words during door‑to‑door visits. Important Facts The offensive words appear because the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order historically records these terms as synonyms for the caste name ‘Balmiki’ in several states, including Punjab. In some states, the slur ‘Bhangi’ is listed as a caste name itself, despite its derogatory connotation. The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act expressly prohibits using such abusive terms in public. UPSC Relevance This episode touches upon multiple UPSC syllabus areas: Polity (GS2) – the role and powers of constitutional bodies like the NCSC; Law (GS2) – provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act; Social Justice (GS2) – challenges in implementing affirmative‑action policies; and Demography (GS3) – the importance of accurate, respectful data collection in the decennial census. Way Forward Immediate removal of slur‑based synonyms from the census portal and replacement with neutral terminology. State and Union coordination to review the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order and amend entries that perpetuate stigma. Training of census enumerators on sensitivity and legal provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act . Regular monitoring by the NCSC and state Social Justice Department to ensure compliance before the 2027 enumeration begins. Addressing the issue promptly will safeguard the dignity of Scheduled Caste communities and uphold the constitutional mandate of equality.