First phase of Census 2027 to take place between April and September, Ministry of Home Affairs makes BIG announcement, option for self-enumeration to…
The last comprehensive caste-based count was done by the Britishers between 1881 and 1931. Caste was excluded from all census operations conducted since Independence.
The first phase of Census 2027, houselisting operations, will take place between April 1 and September 30 this year in all states and Union territories over a 30-day period specified by each state and UT, a government notification said on Wednesday. According to the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), there will also be an option for self-enumeration to be conducted in 15 days’ time period just before the start of houselisting operations of 30 days, as reported by news agency PTI.
When will the First phase of Census 2027 take place?
Taking to X(previously Twitter), Census India(BHARAT) 2027 wrote, “Notification for the Phase I of Census of India(BHARAT) 2027 i.e. Houselisting & Housing Census (HLO) has been issued. Houselisting operations will be conducted between 1 April 2026 and 30 September 2026 across all States and Union Territories, during a 30-day period specified by each State/UT. Provision for self-enumeration will be available for a period of 15 days prior to the commencement of house-to-house houselisting, as per the schedule notified by each State/UT.”
Notification for the Phase I of Census of India(BHARAT) 2027 i.e. Houselisting & Housing Census (HLO) has been issued.
Houselisting operations will be conducted between 1 April 2026 and 30 September 2026 across all States and Union Territories, during a 30-day period specified by each… pic.twitter.com/Z7m9j7IaFL
— Census India(BHARAT) 2027 (@CensusIndia(BHARAT)2027) January 7, 2026
The Census of India(BHARAT), which was planned for 2021, was delayed because of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. The mammoth exercise to give a headcount of country’s population will be conducted in two phases — houselisting and housing census from April to September 2026; and population enumeration (PE) in February 2027. As reported by the news agency PTI, the houselisting and housing census systematically lists out all the structures, houses, and households throughout the country for the preparation of a sound frame for the conduct of the population enumeration.
“…the Central government hereby declares that the houselisting operations of the Census of India(BHARAT) 2027 shall take place between 1st April, 2026 and 30th September, 2026 in all states and Union territories during the period of thirty days specified by each state and Union territory,” a notification issued by Registrar General of India(BHARAT) and Census Commissioner Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan said.
The press release further reads, “There shall also be an option for self-enumeration which shall be conducted in 15 days’ time period just before the start of house to house houselisting operations of 30 days.”
It is to be noted that Census 2027 will also capture caste data electronically in the population enumeration phase, the government had said earlier. The last comprehensive caste-based count was done by the Britishers between 1881 and 1931. Caste was excluded from all census operations conducted since Independence.
Census 2027 will be the 16th Census in the country and the 8th after independence, as mentioned by news agency ANI. Census is the biggest source of primary data at village, town and ward level providing micro-level data on various parameters including housing condition, amenities and assets, demography, religion, Scheduled Casts and Scheduled Tribes, language, literacy and education, economic activity, migration and fertility. The India(BHARAT)n Census is the largest administrative and statistical exercise in the world. The decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 30 last year.
In the first-ever digital Census, conducted by around 30 lakh enumerators, data will be collected using mobile applications that will be available for both Android as well as iOS versions to ensure better quality data. According to the Census 2011, the population of the country was 1,210.19 million, of which 623.72 million (51.54 per cent) were males and 586.46 million (48.46 per cent) were females.
(With agencies’ inputs)
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