New Delhi: The Centre is set to launch the next nationwide Census, which will also include a caste enumeration for the first time, from March 1, 2027, senior government officials confirmed on June 4. As per the notification, the census exercise will be conducted in two phases, and the reference date for the count will be March 1, 2027.
However, in some selected regions, including Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the Census will commence earlier, starting in October 2026.
This marks the first time that the enumeration of castes will be part of the national census process, which is conducted every ten years under the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990. The move comes after years of demand from several political parties and states for a formal caste census to aid in policy planning and welfare distribution.
The last population census was conducted in 2011, with house listing done in 2010 and final enumeration in early 2011. The last census in 2011 recorded a population of over 121 crores in India, reflecting a growth rate of 17.7 per cent. The 2021 Census was fully prepared to launch, but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
