Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to update the National Population Register (NPR). But what is NPR and how is it different from National Register of Citizen? A confusion among the people have created between NPR and NRC after the cabinet yesterday approved updation of NPR.
NPR
The National Population Register (NPR) is a Register of usual residents of the country. It is being prepared at the local (Village/sub-Town), sub-District, District, State and National level 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. A usual resident is defined for the purposes of NPR as a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more.
The objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country. The database would contain demographic as well as biometric particulars.
The following demographic details of every individual are required for every usual resident:
- Name of person
- Relationship to head of household
- Father’s name
- Mother’s name
- Spouse’s name (if married)
- Sex
- Date of Birth
- Marital status
- Place of birth
- Nationality (as declared)
- Present address of usual residence
- Duration of stay at present address
- Permanent residential address
- Occupation/Activity
- Educational qualification
However, no specific documents are required during NPR as it will be self-attested, meaning whatever information is provided by the respondent will be taken into account and no documents or biometric would be required.
The process will start in April 2020 and will be completed by September. Except for the state of Assam, in the remaining country will be conducted NPR as the former already went through NRC.
How is it different from NRC?
When NPR is a database of people living in India, citizens or not, NRC is a database of Indian citizens. The NRC process demands for proof of citizenship and if found without it may face deportation or detention.
“It is possible that some names are missed in the NPR, still their citizenship will not be revoked because this is not the process of NRC. The NRC is a different process. I want to make it clear that nobody will lose citizenship because of NPR,” Amit Shah said.
NPR will help identify the demographics of actual residents who will be direct beneficiaries of any schemes launched in the area.
