India’s Next National Census To Start In March 2027 As Part Of Two Phases

The Ministry of Home Affairs announced on Monday that India's long-delayed population census will be conducted in two phases, starting Oct. 1, 2026, and March 1, 2027, respectively.

The census in union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir as well as Himalayan states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will start early from October 2026.

The population census, last conducted in 2011, was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.

"The new notification supersedes the notification dated on March 28, 2019," according to the official gazette.

The reference date for the census shall be 00.00 hours of March 1, 2027, except for the Union territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the notification said.

In respect of the union territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date shall be 00:00 hours of Oct. 1, 2026.

In April, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government announced it would conduct a caste enumeration as part of the forthcoming census. The 2027 census, will be the first in 16 years.

India has conducted its national census every decade since 1881. The upcoming census will be digital, enabling citizens to provide household data.

The last census in 2011 was held in two phases — Phase I involved House Listing from April to September 2010 and Phase II involved Population Enumeration in February 2011.