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

<p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) – a constitutional body under Article 338A that monitors safeguards and welfare of Scheduled Castes (GS2: Polity)">NCSC</span> has sent a formal notice to the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Director of Census Operations – senior official responsible for planning and executing the national census (GS2: Polity)">Director of Census Operations</span> in Punjab and to the state’s <span class="key-term" data-definition="Social Justice Department – state‑level department that implements schemes for marginalized groups, including Scheduled Castes (GS2: Polity)">Social Justice Department</span>. The notice concerns the use of caste‑slur synonyms for <span class="key-term" data-definition="Scheduled Castes – communities listed in the Constitution as historically disadvantaged and entitled to affirmative action (GS2: Polity)">Scheduled Castes</span> in the online forms for <span class="key-term" data-definition="Census 2027 – the upcoming decennial population count scheduled for 2027, a key source of demographic data (GS3: Demography)">Census 2027</span> in Punjab.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>Complaint lodged by <strong>Hardeep Singh Gill</strong>, Vice‑Chairperson of the National Safai Karmachari Commission, citing offensive terms like ‘Chura’ and ‘Bhangi’ listed as synonyms for the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Valmiki community – a Scheduled Caste group traditionally engaged in sanitation work (GS2: Polity)">Valmiki community</span> on the self‑enumeration website.</li> <li>The NCSC’s notice dated <strong>14 May 2026</strong> requests an action‑taken report from both the census director and the Punjab government within 15 days.</li> <li>Union Home Ministry runs the census portal, but the state is being asked to ensure no slur‑based terminology is used.</li> <li>Political leaders, including former legislators and AAP MLA <strong>Kulwant Singh Sidhu</strong>, have raised the issue, warning of law‑and‑order concerns if enumerators utter such words during door‑to‑door visits.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>The offensive words appear because the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order – presidential order that lists official names and synonyms for Scheduled Castes across states (GS2: Polity)">Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order</span> 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 <span class="key-term" data-definition="SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act – legislation that criminalises abuse of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, providing penalties for caste‑based insults (GS2: Polity)">SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act</span> expressly prohibits using such abusive terms in public.</p> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p