Census training programme deferred in Manipur’s Imphal West amid protests over NRC demand
Manipur authorities have deferred Census 2027 training in Imphal West due to ongoing protests demanding the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The region is experiencing significant civil unrest, leading to school closures and boycotts of government activities.
Why it matters
The situation reflects deep-seated ethnic and political tensions in Manipur that are disrupting essential administrative and national exercises.
The Manipur government has deferred a training programme for enumerators and supervisors under the Census 2027 in Imphal West district, amid protests over NRC demand, an official said on Thursday (August 20, 2026).
The training programme under the first phase of the census exercise was scheduled to begin on August 20.
"The training programme scheduled to commence from August 28, 2026, is hereby deferred in view of the prevailing law and order situation in the district," the official said, citing a letter sent to the chief principal census officer of the Directorate of Census Operations.
The programme was meant for enumerators and supervisors for phase one of Census 2027, he said.
"Teachers assigned as enumerators and supervisors for the census are facing embarrassment, humiliation and different forms of obstacles while attending training sessions," said the Council of Teachers' Associations (COTA), Manipur.
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