National Population Register (NPR)

Why in news?

• The latest form of the National Population Register (NPR) appears to have retained contentious questions such as “mother tongue, place of birth of father and mother and last place of residence”, according to a document compiled by a committee under the Registrar General of India and shared with District Census officers.

More about the news:

• The National Population Register updation exercise will be undertaken alongside Census 2021.
• Many states have opposed the updation of the NPR due to its link with the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the yet to be implemented Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
• According to Citizenship Rules framed in the year 2003, NPR is the first step towards compilation of National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) or NRC.
• The NPR was first collected in 2010 and then updated in 2015
• Some States such as West Bengal and Rajasthan have objected to additional questions to be asked in the fresh NPR such as “date and place of birth of father and mother, last place of residence and mother tongue”.

About NPR:

• Conducted by:
  • It will be conducted by the Office of the Registrar General of India (RGI) under the Home Ministry.
  • Only Assam will not be included, given the recently completed National Register of Citizens (NRC).
• Definition:
  • It is a list of “usual residents of the country”.
  • A “usual resident of the country” is one who has been residing in a local area for at least the last six months, or intends to stay in a particular location for the next six months.
• Legal Provisions:
  • The NPR is being prepared under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.
  • It is mandatory for every “usual resident of India” to register in the NPR.
• Background:
  • The data for the NPR was first collected in 2010 along with the house listing phase of Census 2011.
  • In 2015, this data was further updated by conducting a door-to-door survey.
  • However, with the use of Aadhaar as the key vehicle for transfer of government benefits in the last few years, the NPR has taken a backseat.
• Scope:
  • The NPR exercise is conducted at the local, sub-district, district, state and national levels.
  • The NPR will collect both demographic data and biometric data. Biometric data will be updated through Aadhar details.
  • In the 2010 exercise, the RGI had collected only demographic details.
  • In 2015, it updated the data further with the mobile, Aadhaar and ration card numbers of residents.
  • For the 2020 exercise, it has dropped the ration card number but added other categories.

NPR versus NRC:

• Unlike the NRC, the NPR is not a citizenship enumeration drive, as it would record even a foreigner staying in a locality for more than six months.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

With reference ‘National Population Register (NPR)’, consider the following statements:

1. It includes citizens of India only

2. It is prepared under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship Rules, 2003.

3. The database under the NPR will be maintained by the Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

Answer