GoI announces census to be conducted in 2027

The 2027 enumeration will be closely watched for its implications on political representation, welfare schemes, and economic planning.

STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, JUNE 16 (STC): The Government of India has officially announced that the next national census will be conducted in 2027, ending a prolonged hiatus since the last enumeration exercise in 2011. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has formally issued notification in this regard today.
According to the notification issued by MHA, uthe reference for the Union Territory of Ladakh and the snow-bound, non-synchronous areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand shall be 00:00 hours on October 1, 2026.
For the remaining parts of the country, the census reference date will be 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027.
The new notification supersedes the earlier notification dated March 26, 2019, which had originally laid down the procedural framework for Census 2021.
The government said that any actions or processes carried out under the 2019 notification prior to its supersession would remain valid.
This announcement sets in motion the preparatory process for what is considered the world’s largest administrative exercise. The census will provide comprehensive data on population size, demographic distribution, socio-economic indicators, and housing conditions data that is critical for policy-making, development planning, and resource allocation.
With the dates now officially declared, the Centre is expected to mobilize resources and initiate training and digital enumeration modules for field officers and supervisors in the months ahead.
The census is also likely to employ digital technology and geo-referenced data collection methods for the first time on a full scale. The 2027 enumeration will be closely watched for its implications on political representation, welfare schemes, and economic planning especially after a 16-year gap since the last population count.
(STC)