Census Act, 1948
In one line: The Census Act, 1948 is the central law under which India's Census is conducted.
What it provides
Under Section 3, the Central government declares by notification in the Official Gazette its intention to take a Census. The Act lets the government appoint Census officers, requires people to answer Census questions, and keeps individual Census records confidential, so that they cannot be used as evidence against a person. The Census Rules, 1990 fill in the details.
Who runs it
The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, directs the Census. The present Registrar General is Mritunjay Kumar Narayan.
Why it is in the news
The Manipur deferral of 5 September 2026 cites Sections 3 and 17A of the Act and Rules 6A and 6D of the Census Rules, 1990.
Where to go next
- Reference date
- National Register of Citizens
Census Act, 1948 in the news
- Census 2027: house-to-house count in most of India to run from 25 January to 28 February 31 October 2026
The permanent law that makes every census possible.
- Census count advanced in four poll-bound States, formally deferred in Manipur 6 September 2026
The law behind the count
Previous-year questions on this
- 2026 · GS1 · 15 marks Critically examine the challenges of demographic transition in contemporary India.
- 2026 · GS2 · 10 marks Is the right to vote a fundamental right? Discuss the position of the Election Commission of India while undertaking the revision of electoral rolls. Can it also examine the question of citizenship…
- 2023 · GS1 · 15 marks Why is caste identity in India both fluid and static?
- 2020 · GS1 · 10 marks Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi-cultural Indian Society? Elaborate your answer with illustrations.