National Register of Citizens in Assam

Published on 01 Feb 2025

The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a document containing the names of all Indian citizens of Assam. It was prepared in 1951, following the census of 1951 and was updated recently for Assam. The purpose of the NRC update is to identify Indian citizens of Assam, thus leading to the identification of illegal migrants residing in Assam.

Need of National Register of Citizens

• Ensure People’s Rights: An updated NRC will clear the actual number of illegal migrants in Assam and will prevent further illegal migration that will ensure the rights of Indian citizens in Assam.

• Better policy measures and implementation: It will provide a verified database to implement targeted policies and calibrated policy measures for the benefit of Assamese, especially tribal people. 

• Example: This will weed out fake beneficiaries.                                                                                                                                                         

• Enhance internal security: It will enhance the internal security of the nation by keeping a check on illegal migration. 

• Example: Address terrorist threats, counterfeit money etc. endangering the security of our nation.

• Prevent future illegal migration: The publication of the draft NRC has already created a perception that staying in Assam without valid documentation will attract detention/jail terms and deportation.

• Example: Publication of an updated NRC is expected to deter future migrants from Bangladesh from entering Assam illegally.

• Reduce fake voting: Strengthening the electoral process by making it harder for illegal migrants to obtain Indian identity documents.

Concerns Associated with the National Register of Citizens

• Discrepancies: There are several discrepancies in the final draft of the NRC caused by the misspelling of names and the inclusion of nicknames instead of actual names. The names of 40.07 lakh applicants did not find a place in the final document. 

• Law and order problem: The implementation of NRC may lead to serious law and order problems not just in Assam but also in neighbouring states.

• Loss of Right to Vote: The right to vote is a constitutional right. People whose names are not in NRC would be barred from voting. Thus, losing the right to vote.

• Fake Cases: There have been several cases of people having made fake official identity cards such as Aadhar, PAN card, ration card and even voter’s identity card. This will legalize their illegal migration.

• Loss of Properties: Those left out, whose names are not on the list, will not be able to buy land or a house in the country. This will increase the selling of benami properties, especially by those who lose their citizenship.

• Threat to tribal rights: Indigenous tribes who do not have any pre-1971 documents to prove their Identity will lose their rights. While all original inhabitants of Assam are to be included, it is not an easy task.

The claims of those left out in the NRC must be heard carefully and humanely. There is a need for a robust mechanism of legal support for the four million who have to prove their citizenship to India with their limited means. Also, all state authorities need to be prudent in their actions so that good sense prevails and ensures that large-scale humanitarian crises do not erupt.

Tags:
Security

Keywords:
NRC North east insurgency Internal security Illegal immigration citizenship

Syllabus:
General Studies Paper 3

Topics:
Internal Security