India is set to undertake its next decennial Population Census in 2027, following a comprehensive two-phase approach that also includes caste enumeration. This marks a significant step in demographic data collection, with the last census being conducted in 2011 and the 2021 edition postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As per the official schedule, the reference date for Population Census 2027 will be 00:00 hours of 1st March 2027. However, for the Union Territory of Ladakh and non-synchronous snow-bound areas in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be 00:00 hours of 1st October 2026. A formal notification expressing the intent to conduct the Census will be published in the Gazette of India tentatively on 16th June 2025, as per Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948.
The Census of India is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990, and remains one of the largest administrative exercises in the world. The last Census in 2011 was carried out in two distinct phases: House Listing Operations (HLO) from April to September 2010, and Population Enumeration (PE) from 9th to 28th February, 2011, with a reference date of 1st March 2011 for most areas. Snow-bound and inaccessible areas had their reference date as 1st October 2010.
The 2021 Census, which was also planned in two phases with the first phase from April to September 2020, had all preparatory work completed. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the postponement of the entire exercise, making Census 2027 the first enumeration after a 16-year gap.
A notable feature of the upcoming Census is the inclusion of caste enumeration, which is expected to provide detailed data on the socio-economic status of various caste groups. This move is seen as a response to long-standing public and political demands for updated caste-based statistics, for more details CLICK HERE
