Jammu : The Gujjar Bakarwal Students Alliance, Jammu University, on Friday expressed concern over the proposed timing of Census 2027, stating that conducting the exercise during May and June could leave a large section of the nomadic Gujjar and Bakarwal population uncounted.
Addressing a press conference, GBSA spokesperson Amir Chowdhary and Jammu University President Ashraf Chowdhary highlighted the seasonal migration of thousands of tribal families to mountainous regions for grazing and livelihood during summer. They pointed out that poor connectivity and challenging terrain hinder accurate population enumeration during this time. The alliance called on the Central Government, Jammu and Kashmir administration, and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to implement special measures for counting nomadic populations in remote areas. They proposed the involvement of local stakeholders and the use of offline digital devices, satellite support, and field outreach teams to facilitate inclusive enumeration. GBSA leaders emphasized the importance of accurate census data for the implementation of welfare schemes, reservation policies, and political representation. They reiterated their demand for conducting census operations for nomadic tribes in the winter months when families return to the plains, making them more accessible for enumeration. Several alliance members and office bearers supported these demands during the press conference, urging policymakers to take action.
