Population and Caste Census to begin on March 1, 2027

New Delhi: Population and caste census for India to be conducted in two phases from March 1, 2027 (Please check if it should be October 1, 2026 here, not March 1). The government of India will issue a Gazette notification on June 16, tentatively, as per a press release issued by the government of India.

Timeline of the program:

1) In the snow-bound areas of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Leh, Ladakh, the population and caste census will be carried out from October 1, 2026.

2) In other States, the population and caste census to be carried out from March 1, 2027.

3) Gazette notification to be issued on June 16

Population census

The last population census was carried out in 2011 in two phases:

1) House Listing

2) Population Enumeration

The same process will be followed now also.

Covid-19 outbreak

The population census was set to be conducted by the government of India in 2021, but due to the outbreak of Covid-19 it could not be done. The field work was carried out by the departments for the same purpose. The same procedures are to be followed now, the government of India said.

Opposition demands

The population census was the demand of the Opposition parties over the last two years. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has been raising the issue talking about caste census in India.

The government of India has finally decided to do a population and caste census together.

Telangana caste census

Telangana has carried out a detailed caste census and found that Backward Classes are 46.25 per cent in the State. The caste census was carried out in 50 days.