Cabinet Approves Census of India 2027 Scheme
The Union Cabinet has approved the scheme for conducting the Census of India 2027, clearing the way for the country’s next nationwide population count. The decision marks a key step in restarting the decennial census exercise, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has approved an overall expenditure of ₹11,718.24 crore for the exercise.
Two-Phase Census Timeline
The Census of India 2027 will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, the Houselisting and Housing Census, will be conducted between April and September 2026. This will be followed by the Population Enumeration phase in February 2027 across most parts of the country. In snow-bound and difficult regions such as Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, population enumeration will begin earlier, from September 2026.
First Fully Digital Census
Census 2027 will be India’s first fully digital census. Data collection will be carried out using mobile applications, supported by a central Census Management and Monitoring System for real-time tracking of field work. The government has also provided an option for self-enumeration, allowing citizens to submit details online if they choose.
Massive Nationwide Exercise
Around 30 lakh enumerators, supervisors and census officials are expected to be deployed across the country. The data collected will support policy planning, resource allocation and governance decisions, and will be made available to government departments in machine-readable formats.
