The Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed that India’s Population Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases along with the enumeration of castes. The reference date for the census will be 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027, while for non-synchronous snow-bound areas in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be October 1, 2026.
The Census of India, conducted under the Census Act, 1948 and Census Rules, 1990, is the country’s largest demographic exercise. The last census took place in 2011, divided into two phases—House Listing from April to September 2010 and Population Enumeration from February 9 to 28, 2011—except for certain snow-bound regions, where the exercise occurred in September 2010 with an October 1 reference date.
Originally planned for 2021, the previous census was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite preparations being completed for the first phase. The new notification for the 2027 Census, including reference dates, will be published in the official gazette on June 16, 2025, in accordance with Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948.
With caste enumeration included in the process, the 2027 Census is expected to provide comprehensive socio-economic data for policy planning, resource allocation, and governance, shaping India’s developmental priorities for the coming decades.
