The Government of India on Monday officially notified the schedule for conducting the country’s 16th decennial census, which will, for the first time since 2011, include caste enumeration. The large-scale demographic exercise is scheduled for March 1, 2027, across most of the country, with a reference date of October 1, 2026, for snow-bound regions.
According to the notification, “The reference date for the said census shall be 00.00 hours of the 1st day of March, 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.” For these snow-bound regions, the census reference date will be October 1, 2026.
Caste Enumeration to be Included
A key feature of this census will be the inclusion of caste data, making it the first such exercise in over 16 years since the Socio-Economic and Caste Census of 2011. A government statement confirmed that “in the Census, caste enumeration will also be done,” reflecting a significant policy decision with potential implications for welfare policies, reservations, and governance.
Two-Phase Operation with Digital Tools
The census will be conducted in two distinct phases:
- House Listing Operation (HLO) – This phase will collect data on housing conditions, assets, and available amenities in each household.
- Population Enumeration (PE) – This phase will gather detailed information on the demographic, socio-economic, and cultural attributes of every person residing in the country.
The exercise will be undertaken by approximately 34 lakh enumerators and supervisors, supported by 1.3 lakh census functionaries. For the first time, they will be equipped with digital devices to facilitate data collection.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated that provisions for self-enumeration will also be made available to the public, giving individuals an option to participate in the census process online.
High-Level Review and Data Security
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting on Sunday to review preparations for the census. The meeting was attended by Union Home Secretary, Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, and other senior officials.
The government emphasized that stringent data security protocols will be in place to protect personal information during the phases of data collection, transmission, and storage.
Historical Significance
This will be India’s 16th census since the decennial process began and the eighth census since Independence. The upcoming exercise is expected to play a crucial role in shaping development policies and social welfare schemes by providing up-to-date, granular data on the country’s population dynamics.
