Centre amends rules, permits deployment of private teachers for Census duty

The Centre on Friday amended the Census Rules, 1990, allowing states and Union territories to appoint teachers of "aided or unaided private bodies" as enumerators during the Census, in the backdrop of various high courts staying the orders of government officials requisitioning services of such staff.

A gazette notification issued by Registrar General of India (RGI) Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan said "teachers, clerks, or any official or any person" can be appointed as census officers by state governments and Union territories as enumerators.

Friday's notification specifies that "teachers of any educational institution of the government, local authority, aided or unaided private bodies, societies or trusts; (ii) Clerks or any official of the central government, state government, local authority or establishment (including public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, banks, companies, institutions, societies and trusts); (iii) Any person, as the state government or the Union territory ...