Caste census exercise to begin from March 1, 2027

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday announced that the next Population Census will be conducted in two phases starting March 1, 2027, and will include caste enumeration.

According to the Ministry, the reference date for the Census will be October 1, 2026, for Ladakh and the snow-bound, non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

A gazette notification declaring the government’s intent to conduct the Census is expected to be issued on June 16, 2025, under Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948.

The upcoming exercise will be the first full Census since 2011. The 2021 Census had been planned in two phases—house listing from April to September 2020 and population enumeration in February 2021. However, it was deferred indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite preparations being completed.

Like the 2011 Census, the 2027 exercise will follow a two-stage structure and will now include the caste enumeration—a long-standing demand by several states and political parties.

Earlier on April 30, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had decided to conduct a caste-based Census. Announcing the decision of the Cabinet committee on political affairs, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said the Census is part of the central list as per the Constitution.