Census 2027 to be conducted in two phases with caste enumeration

The Union Government has finalized its decision to conduct the next nationwide Census in 2027, as officially notified in the Gazette of India on June 16, 2025. This will be the first Census to be held after a decade-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other administrative circumstances.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed that Census 2027 will be carried out in two phases. Phase I – House Listing and Housing Census is scheduled to take place between April and September 2026 over a 30-day period determined by respective State and Union Territory administrations. Thereafter, Phase II – Population Enumeration will be held in February 2027, with the reference date set as March 1, 2027.

However, for Ladakh and other snow-bound regions, the Population Enumeration will be conducted earlier, in September 2026, to ensure smooth operations in challenging weather conditions.

A significant feature of Census 2027 will be the inclusion of caste-based enumeration, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs on April 30, 2025. This marks the first time in over seven decades that caste data will be officially collected as part of the national Census, responding to long-standing demands from several states and social justice groups.

The government said the exercise aims to generate accurate, updated demographic data to support evidence-based developmental planning and policy-making across the nation.