House listing operations (first phase of Census) will be conducted between April and September 2026 across all States and Union Territories.
- Population Enumeration (second phase of Census) is scheduled for February 2027.
- For the Union Territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the population enumeration will be conducted in September 2026.
Key Features in the 16th Census (2027):
- India’s First Digital Census: Enumerators will primarily use mobile apps for data collection.
- Historic Caste Enumeration: This Census will include the first nationwide caste enumeration in independent India (last done in 1931) for all communities (beyond just Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes).
- Digital Features:
- Self-Enumeration Portal: A secure platform where citizens can independently complete questionnaires;
- Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS): Digital portal allowing supervisors and district officers to track enumeration progress.
- Houselisting Block (HLB) Creator:A satellite-based web mapping application that enables Charge Officers to create precise digital enumeration blocks.
- Census as a Service (CaaS): Provides ministries with a clean, machine-readable and queryable database to facilitate evidence-based policy planning.
About Census in India:
- Conducted by: Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs (decennially)
- Legal Backing: Census Act, 1948 and Census Rules, 1990.
- Census 2027 will be the 16th Census in the country and 8th after independence.
- The 1st synchronous Census started in the year 1881 (by W.C. Plowden).
