Census 2027 Timeline Set: House Listing to Begin This Year, Digital Self-Enumeration and Caste Data to Mark Historic Shift

Delhi: India’s long-delayed population census is officially back on track, with the Union government outlining a detailed roadmap for Census 2027, a nationwide exercise expected to redefine demographic data collection in the country. According to a fresh notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the first phase of the census — known as house listing and housing census operations — will be conducted between April 1 and September 30 this year across all states and Union territories.

Each state and UT will be allotted a specific 30-day window within this period to complete the house listing process. Significantly, the government has also introduced an option for self-enumeration, allowing citizens to submit details digitally. This self-enumeration facility will be open for 15 days prior to the start of the official house listing operations, marking a major step towards technology-driven governance and citizen participation.

The census, which is conducted once every ten years, was originally scheduled for 2021 but was deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The prolonged delay had raised concerns among policymakers and researchers, as population data plays a critical role in planning welfare schemes, allocating resources, and redrawing administrative priorities.

The upcoming census will be carried out in two distinct phases. The first phase — house listing and housing census — will lay the groundwork by mapping every structure, residence, and household in the country. This data will serve as the backbone for the second phase, population enumeration, which is scheduled to take place in February 2027 and will record detailed information about individuals living in each household.

One of the most significant aspects of Census 2027 is the government’s decision to include caste data during the population enumeration phase, using electronic data collection methods. This marks a historic departure from post-Independence census practices. While caste was a regular feature of census exercises during the colonial period — last comprehensively recorded between 1881 and 1931 — it was excluded from all censuses conducted after 1947.

The move to reintroduce caste enumeration was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on April 30 last year. The decision has major social and political implications, as caste-based data is often cited as crucial for evidence-based policymaking, social justice measures, and targeted welfare delivery.