RGI reviews Tripura readiness for 2027 digital census with caste count

Registrar General of India (RGI) Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan visited the Directorate of Census Operations office in Tripura to assess the state’s preparedness for the upcoming 2027 Census exercise, officials said on Thursday.

Accompanied by Additional Registrar General Sunil Kumar, the RGI held in-depth discussions with senior officials about logistical and administrative readiness for the nationwide population count in the sensitive state that shares a border with Bangladesh.

During the visit, the Director of Census Operations in Tripura briefed the team about the proposed staff deployment, training modules, and awareness initiatives already underway to ensure the smooth conduct of the Census.

Earlier this month, a two-day national conference of Census directors was held in New Delhi, chaired by Mr Narayan. The meeting focused on planning, inter-departmental coordination, and digital preparedness for India’s first-ever fully digital Census.

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The 16th Census of India, scheduled for 2027, will be historic as it will include caste enumeration for all individuals—something not done since Independence, except for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The reference date will be October 1, 2026, for snow-bound areas like Ladakh and March 1, 2027, for the rest of the country.

The Census will be conducted in two phases: the first—House Listing Operations (HLO)—will begin on April 1, 2026, to collect data on household conditions, amenities, and assets. The second phase—Population Enumeration (PE)—will follow in 2027, gathering detailed demographic, cultural, and socio-economic information.

Approximately 34 lakh enumerators and supervisors and around 1.3 lakh census officials will be deployed across the country. For the first time, the Census will be carried out digitally using mobile applications, with an option for self-enumeration by citizens.

Tripura officials said they are prioritising robust digital training and coordination to ensure the state is fully equipped for this transformative national exercise.