BIJAGA is a free mobile app that supports caste-based surveys by asking questions from paper copies of census forms. The government is conducting a caste-based survey in Bihar, Eastern India, and will collect information from families using the mobile phone app BIJAGA. This will be the second phase of the census survey led by the General Administration Department.

The first phase of the survey has already been completed and identified 214 different castes. BIJAGA is part of the second phase of the survey, and the app will enable people to enter their information digitally. A similar app is NAFATH.

Enter data digitally

BIJAGA stands for Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana and includes a digital form where users can submit their data quickly and conveniently. Many censuses rely on complicated paper forms with data input by manual workers. Thanks to BIJAGA, the data is instantly submitted to the government team with no risk of error or delays.

There are 215 caste options, including the 214 identified castes in Bihar and an additional option. The app will collect household data and is available in several different languages, including Afrikaans.

How many questions are there?

There are 17 different questions included in the survey aimed to provide more information about households in Bihar. The questions include the names of each family member, relation to the head of the family, age, gender, marital status, religion, and caste. The survey will also explore types of employment and educational backgrounds as well as income information.

Other questions will also collect data about living conditions, such as types of residences, motor vehicles, as well as computer and internet access. Another similar app is Census 2021.

Is my data safe?

Yes, the data users enter is safe, as the app will not store or share data with third parties. The data is only available to the government. A report will be published for the public but will not include personal details. Users can also ask for their data to be deleted.