Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) regarding the deployment of personnel for the census scheduled to be conducted from December 1, 2026, to January 4, 2027. Around 35,000 personnel will be required to conduct the census of the state’s estimated population of approximately 1.27 crore. The government has made it clear that no department will be permitted to refuse to provide employees for census duty. Action will be taken against those who do so.
Preparations for the census were reviewed at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan on Wednesday. Officials concerned from all districts participated in the meeting virtually. The Directorate of Census Operations provided information regarding activities for the second phase, necessary arrangements and the deployment of personnel.
Exemption Only on the Recommendation of a Medical Board
According to the procedure issued by the government, a medical board will be constituted for employees seeking exemption from census duty on medical grounds. A decision on exemption will be taken only on the basis of the board’s recommendation. Employees seeking exemption on non-medical grounds will be required to obtain permission from the Principal Census Officer.
Once employees have undergone census training, they will generally not be relieved from their assigned duties under normal circumstances. Exemption will be considered only in special emergency situations.
Duty Area to Be Assigned Near the Workplace
Teachers and other employees will, as far as possible, be assigned census areas located close to their workplaces. To ensure that regular teaching activities in schools are not disrupted, schools with a larger number of teachers will be given priority for census duty. Teachers working in single-teacher schools, however, have been directed to be kept exempt from census duty.
Principals of all schools will have to provide the list of teachers and employees to the concerned Block Education Officer. The list must include their names, designations, employee identification numbers, mobile numbers and the address of their current school.
Action for Failure to Submit Lists
Lists of employees will be collected from all government departments, local bodies and government-aided institutions. Action will be taken against heads of offices that fail to provide the lists within the prescribed deadline. District Magistrates and Principal Census Officers have been authorised to seek assistance from various departments and institutions as required.
The government has directed all departments and officials to extend full cooperation in the census, which is a time-bound task of national importance.
