By A Staff Reporter
New Delhi – The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has officially announced that the Population Census 2027 will be carried out in two distinct phases, and for the first time in decades, it will include the enumeration of castes. This development marks a significant shift in India’s demographic data collection process, aligning with longstanding demands for more granular social data.
According to the MHA statement, March 1, 2027 (00:00 hrs) will serve as the reference date for the census across most parts of the country. However, due to geographical and climatic challenges, a separate reference date of October 1, 2026, has been earmarked for the Union Territory of Ladakh, as well as the snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
The MHA also informed that a notification of intent to conduct the census will be published in the official gazette on June 16, 2025, under the provisions of Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948. The upcoming census will be the first since 2011, as the 2021 Census was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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