India to Conduct First Digital Census with Caste Enumeration from March 2027 After 16-Year Gap

KalimNews with inputs from Agencies, June 5, 2025 : India will conduct its long-awaited national census starting March 1, 2027, marking the country's first fully digital and caste-inclusive enumeration since Independence. The announcement was made by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on June 4, 2025, confirming that this will be the 16th decadal census, taking place after an unprecedented 16-year gap, following the postponement of the 2021 exercise due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The census will proceed in two distinct phases — a house-listing phase and a population enumeration phase, with a reference date of 12 a.m. on March 1, 2027. However, in snow-bound and non-synchronous regions such as Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the enumeration will commence earlier, starting in October 2026.

The official notification of the census, including the phase-wise schedule, is tentatively expected in the Official Gazette on June 16, 2025, in accordance with Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948.

This decadal exercise will, for the first time since 1931, include caste-based enumeration, recording details of various castes and sub-castes along with population figures. The decision to incorporate caste data was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amidst growing demands from states and opposition parties. The move comes on the heels of state-level caste surveys recently conducted by Bihar, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, with Karnataka expected to release long-pending caste data from a 2015 survey.

The digital nature of Census 2027 will be a transformative step. A dedicated mobile app will be used for data collection, and a centralised portal has already been developed to manage and monitor the exercise. Enumerators will be trained in the use of these tools, allowing seamless data capture, especially in areas with adequate connectivity. Offline entry and later syncing will be enabled in low-connectivity zones.

The house-listing schedule will cover 31 specific indicators — including housing material, drinking water availability, internet access, vehicle ownership, mobile phone usage, and cooking fuel. The population enumeration phase, held 6–8 months after house-listing, will collect individual demographic data such as age, marital status, education, disability, migration history, mother tongue, religion, caste, and fertility status (for females).

Although the census is primarily for policy planning and welfare schemes, it is also expected to provide a statistical base for delimitation and seat redistribution in the Lok Sabha ahead of the 2029 General Election. This makes the 2027 Census not just a demographic count, but a politically significant national exercise.

Preparations are reportedly complete. The Union Home Ministry, in a March 2025 parliamentary briefing, confirmed that the groundwork for the digital census had been laid, including software development and administrative boundary finalisation. Budgetary adjustments — with funding reduced from ₹1,309 crore in FY 2024–25 to ₹574 crore in FY 2025–26 — were attributed to the completion of initial preparatory activities.

Since its inception in 1881, the Census of India has been the most comprehensive demographic exercise, conducted every ten years without interruption until 2021. The 2027 exercise will now serve as a crucial source of updated data for governance, welfare planning, resource allocation, and electoral representation.

This will be a momentous occasion in the history of modern India, combining technological innovation, social inclusivity, and administrative reform in one of the world's largest data-gathering initiatives.

Delayed Timeline and Reasons for Postponement

The 2021 Census was postponed multiple times due to:
- The COVID-19 pandemic
- Delays in freezing administrative boundaries (last extended to June 30, 2024)
- The 2024 Lok Sabha elections
It was originally scheduled to begin with house-listing in April 2020 and population enumeration in February 2021.

🔹 Language and Digital Accessibility

The census will be conducted in 16 Indian languages to ensure accessibility and inclusiveness.
Enumerators will be trained to use mobile applications developed by the government.

🔹 Role of Form and Legal Mandates

The exercise is governed by the Census Act, 1948, and various census-related rules.
Enumerators will collect data digitally, but paper forms may still be used in certain remote or low-connectivity areas.

🔹 Impact on Social Justice and Policy Making

The inclusion of caste data is expected to:
- Help target welfare programs more effectively
- Influence affirmative action policies
- Address long-standing demands of social justice movements
It could also inform economic and educational reservations and planning.

🔹 Budget and Resource Allocation

Budget allocation reduced for 2025–26 due to completion of preliminary work.
In 2021, ₹37.68 billion (approx. $450 million USD) was initially allocated in the Union Budget for the census.

🔹 House-Listing Questions Reflect Socioeconomic Trends

Some new or evolving indicators include:
- Internet access, smartphones, and laptops
- Main cereal consumed (to track nutrition and food security)
- Ownership of LPG/PNG connections, sanitation facilities, and vehicles

🔹 Data Utility and Electoral Impact

Census data will be crucial for:
- Delimitation of constituencies before the 2029 elections
- Adjusting representation in Parliament and state assemblies based on population
- Planning infrastructure and resource allocation

🔹 Public Communication and Transparency

The government aims to ensure transparency, speed, and accuracy using digital tools.
A public-facing portal may be developed for updates, trends, and summaries.