Census 2027 Population Count Extended to 50 Days
India’s Census 2027 will feature its longest population enumeration period, extending across nearly 50 days from January 10 to February 28, 2027, including a 15-day self-enumeration window. The revised schedule, announced by the Union Home Ministry on October 30, 2026, represents a significant expansion from earlier census exercises, when the second phase generally lasted 20 days.
Census 2027 Population Count to Begin January 10
The population enumeration exercise will begin with online self-enumeration from January 10 to January 24, allowing residents to submit their information before enumerators visit households.
House-to-house enumeration will follow from January 25 to February 28, with a revisional round scheduled between March 1 and March 5.
The reference date for most participating regions will be midnight on March 1, 2027.
Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa have separate schedules because of upcoming Assembly elections.
Census 2027 to Include 40 Questions and Caste Data
The government has expanded the population enumeration questionnaire from 29 questions in 2011 to approximately 40 in 2027.
The additional information will include caste, nationality as declared by respondents, family details, permanent addresses and certain identity-related particulars.
Enumerators will also collect information concerning bank accounts, mobile numbers, Aadhaar, voter identification, passports, driving licences and COVID-19 vaccination locations.
Some identification details will be recorded when available, while passport numbers will apply only to Indian passport holders.
Manipur Excluded From Current Census Schedule
The latest notification excludes Manipur pending a separate government decision. Census preparations there have faced demands from sections of the population seeking a National Register of Citizens exercise beforehand.
Ladakh and designated snow-bound areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are also outside the newly announced schedule because their enumeration follows separate arrangements.
The extended census timetable is expected to provide additional time for collecting demographic information and accommodating the expanded questionnaire.
