Census 2026-27: The Case for a Separate Category for Denotified and Nomadic Tribes

The lack of accurate, disaggregated data is a significant hurdle for governance. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s flagship 'Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs' (SEED) aims to provide health insurance, livelihood support, and housing. However, without a clear census count, identifying beneficiaries remains a complex challenge. A separate census category would provide the empirical basis required for 'sub-categorization' and targeted resource allocation, moving beyond the previous estimates of the Renke Commission (2008) and the Idate Commission (2015), both of which highlighted the dire need for a scientific survey of these 'invisible' populations. From a policy perspective, the transition to a Digital Census offers a unique opportunity to include granular data points. For the DNTs, this is not merely a matter of statistics but a quest for constitutional recognition and social justice, ensuring that the 'last mile' of development actually reaches the most transient and historically wronged sections of Indian society. UPSC Relevance: This topic is crucial for questions regarding the sub-categorization of vulnerable groups and the challenges of inclusive growth in GS Paper II and Anthropology/Sociology optional papers. It highlights the intersection of colonial legacy, demographic data requirements for policy formulation, and the performance of welfare schemes for migratory populations.