Centre Notifies Census 2027 Timeline: First Phase to Begin in April 2026, Fully Digital Enumeration Planned
Centre Notifies Census 2027 Timeline: First Phase to Begin in April 2026: The Union Home Ministry has formally notified the timeline for the first phase of Census 2027, marking the beginning of India’s most ambitious and technologically advanced census exercise to date. The first phase, known as houselisting and housing census, will be conducted between April 1, 2026, and September 30, 2026, with each state and union territory completing the exercise within a 30-day period of its choosing.
In a major departure from previous census exercises, the government has introduced a self-enumeration option for the first time. Citizens will be able to submit their details digitally through a dedicated app or portal 15 days before door-to-door enumeration begins. This move is aimed at improving accuracy, reducing paperwork, and enhancing public participation.
After COVID Delay, Census 2027 to Begin in April 2026
Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases, following the postponement of the 2021 census due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Phase One will cover houselisting and housing characteristics.
- Phase Two, the population enumeration, will take place in February 2027.
The reference date for the census will be midnight of March 1, 2027, except for snow-bound areas where the reference date will be September 2026, following long-standing census practice.
For the first time in India’s census history, the entire operation will be fully digital. Data collection will be carried out using a mobile application available on both Android and iOS platforms, while real-time supervision and tracking will be managed through the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) portal. Around 30 lakh enumerators and supervisors, largely comprising government school teachers and officials, will be deployed for the exercise.
The Union Cabinet approved the conduct of Census 2027 last year with a total budgetary allocation of ₹11,718 crore. Notably, the upcoming census will also include caste-related data, a first since Independence, making it a politically and socially significant exercise.
The government has highlighted that census data dissemination will be user-friendly and machine-readable, with ministries and departments accessing datasets through a dedicated Census-as-a-Service (CaaS) platform. This approach is expected to enhance evidence-based policymaking, welfare targeting, and long-term development planning.
Described as the world’s largest administrative and statistical exercise, Census 2027 is expected to provide a comprehensive snapshot of India’s population, housing conditions, and socio-economic realities, shaping governance and development strategies for the coming decade.
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