There are two Census forms, the long form and the short form. Five out of six households in the United States will get the short form which consists of 8 questions. The long form has 33 questions.
We have received a number of queries from our readers about the distinction between these forms, Readers will have to fill in Question 4 in both the forms, but only the long form has the Question 13 and 15b about ancestry or ethnic origin and the language you speak at home, and as such there queries can only be answered in the long form.
We recommend that our readers fill in the answer to question 4 Race as Sikh, since as we said earlier, the census form has a broad definition of the term race, including in it distinct national and ethnic groups rather than traditional races. It lists among the options of race: Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. Japanese. Asian Indians, etc. and of other Asian or Pacific Islander, (API) as Thai, Cambodian and Pakistani in Question 4 and provides space for writing the race.
Since the options indicate an ethnic group or nationality rather than a race per se, in this context, we feel it would be appropriate and correct to be listed as Sikh, rather than being lumped under Asian Indians.
The short form does not have question 13 on your ancestry or ethnic origin, which we have asked you to answer as SIKH, and the query on the language you speak at home, (Question 15b) which we have asked you to identify as Punjabi, if you do speak it a home. Only the long form has their inquiries.
Everyone who gets the forms should answer all the questions asked in it, whether they are 8 or 33. Use the information we have provided to you in help in fulfilling your duty.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 30, 1990
