Census 2027 first phase nears completion, PM calls it a national responsibility
Where does India's first digital, caste-counting Census stand, and why does it matter?
Published 28 September 2026. Written by Pratidin from the reports linked at the end; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work
In the 138th episode of Mann Ki Baat on 27 September 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Census 2027 as a national responsibility and urged citizens to take part. He said the first phase, which covers house-listing, is nearing completion across all States and Union Territories, with information on more than 32 crore families recorded. He added that more than 2.6 crore people had completed self-enumeration on their mobile phones, and that work was continuing in snow-bound and remote areas of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand.
Census 2027 is India's first digital Census. Citizens can fill in their details on a self-enumeration portal in 15 to 20 minutes without uploading documents and receive an ID to show the enumerator. It runs in two phases: house-listing and housing Census from April 2026, and population enumeration in February 2027, with snow-bound areas covered earlier. The Union government has approved an outlay of Rs 11,718.24 crore. The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs approved caste enumeration as part of this Census on 30 April 2025.
The Census was due in 2021 but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so policy has relied on 2011 data for over a decade. Fresh figures will affect the targeting of welfare schemes, the allocation of funds, and future exercises such as delimitation. The inclusion of caste is significant because post-Independence Censuses have counted only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Accuracy will depend on public participation, the protection of personal data, and the ability of digital tools to reach people with weak connectivity or low digital literacy.
Prelims facts
- The Census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948, and 'Census' is a subject in the Union List (Entry 69) of the Seventh Schedule.
- The Census is carried out by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Census 2027 is India's first digital Census and includes caste enumeration, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs on 30 April 2025.
Quick recall
- Under which law is the Census conducted?
- The Census Act, 1948.
- Which list of the Seventh Schedule contains 'Census'?
- The Union List (Entry 69).
- Which office conducts the Census?
- The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- What are the two phases of Census 2027?
- House-listing and housing Census; population enumeration.
- When did the house-listing phase begin?
- April 2026.
- When was caste enumeration approved?
- 30 April 2025, by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs.
- What outlay has been approved for the Census?
- Rs 11,718.24 crore.
- Why was the Census not held in 2021?
- It was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prelims practice question
Consider the following statements:
1. 'Census' is a subject in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule.
2. The Census in India is conducted under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (a) 1 only. Census is Entry 69 of the Union List. It is conducted under the Census Act, 1948, not the Registration of Births and Deaths Act.
Use this in UPSC Mains: previous-year questions
Recurring theme: Caste, population data and evidence-based policy
Why is caste identity in India both fluid and static?
How to use thisUse caste enumeration in Census 2027 as a current example of caste's persistence as an administrative category, while self-reported names reveal its fluidity.
- The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs approved caste enumeration in Census 2027 on 30 April 2025; post-Independence Censuses had counted only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
- Thousands of self-reported caste names will have to be coded consistently: the variety of names shows how caste is self-claimed, while counting fixes it as an administrative category.
- How to use this
Use the decision to count caste in Census 2027 as evidence that caste remains central to policy, planning and politics in India.
- Census 2027, India's first digital Census, includes caste enumeration approved on 30 April 2025, the first beyond SC and ST counts since Independence.
- Caste data is expected to give a factual basis for debates on reservation, sub-categorisation and social justice instead of estimates.
- Results may intensify demands linked to reservation and delimitation, showing caste's continuing political salience.
- How to use this
Use it to conclude that official caste counts may themselves feed new associational mobilisation around numbers and entitlements.
- Census 2027 will enumerate caste, approved by the CCPA on 30 April 2025, with self-reported caste names to be coded and classified.
- Its results may intensify demands linked to reservation and delimitation, giving caste associations fresh grounds to organise.
The NPR is linked to the house-listing phase of the Census; useful for discussing population registers and data governance.
Mains practice question
Census 2027 will be India's first digital Census and will also enumerate caste. Discuss the opportunities and challenges this presents for evidence-based policymaking. (150 words)
Model answer
The Census, conducted under the Census Act, 1948 by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, is India's largest data exercise. Census 2027, delayed from 2021 by the pandemic, is the first digital Census and includes caste enumeration approved in April 2025. In September 2026 the Prime Minister said data on over 32 crore families had been recorded in the first phase.
Opportunities
- Fresh data after 16 years: better targeting of welfare, food security and housing schemes that still rely on 2011 figures.
- Digital speed: self-enumeration and mobile collection can cut errors and processing time.
- Caste data: a factual basis for debates on reservation, sub-categorisation and social justice, instead of estimates.
- Planning and federal transfers: population data feeds Finance Commission formulas and constituency work.
Challenges
- Digital divide: remote, elderly and poor households may miss out on self-enumeration.
- Data protection: a large personal dataset needs strong safeguards; Census data is confidential under the Census Act.
- Caste classification: thousands of self-reported caste names must be coded consistently.
- Politicisation: results may intensify demands linked to reservation and delimitation.
Way forward
- Keep door-to-door enumeration as the backbone, with digital as a supplement.
- Publish a clear classification method for caste returns.
- Release data quickly and in usable formats for researchers and States.
A timely, accurate Census is a public good; its credibility will decide how well India plans for the next decade.
The basics
Why this matters
Almost every public decision in India, from how much grain a State receives to where a school is built, depends on population data. That data is now more than a decade old because the 2021 Census was postponed. Census 2027 will refresh it, add caste for the first time in independent India's Censuses beyond SCs and STs, and test whether a digital model can reach every household accurately.
How Census 2027 works
The exercise runs in two phases. The first, house-listing and housing Census, began in April 2026 and records buildings, amenities and assets. The second, population enumeration, collects details of every person and is scheduled for February 2027, with snow-bound areas done earlier. Citizens can self-enumerate online before the enumerator visits, and receive an ID to confirm their entry. Enumerators still visit every household, so self-enumeration is an option, not a replacement.
- 1Self-enumerationHousehold fills details online in 15 to 20 minutes and gets an ID
- 2House-listingEnumerators record houses, amenities and assets from April 2026
- 3Population enumerationDetails of every person collected, February 2027
- 4ProcessingDigital data compiled and published by the Registrar General
The digital shift
Earlier Censuses used paper schedules that took years to process. This time data is collected on mobile devices and through a self-enumeration portal. The Prime Minister said more than 2.6 crore people had already self-enumerated on their phones, and highlighted users in remote Uttarakhand villages. Digital collection promises speed and fewer transcription errors, but it needs connectivity, training and trust that personal data will stay confidential.
- Printed schedules filled by enumerators
- Manual data entry and scanning
- Results took years
- Mobile app and self-enumeration portal
- Data flows directly to servers
- Faster results, but needs connectivity
Counting caste
Since Independence, Censuses have counted only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes among caste groups. The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs approved wider caste enumeration on 30 April 2025. Supporters say it will ground debates on reservation and welfare in facts. Critics worry about classifying thousands of self-reported caste names and about political mobilisation around the results. Either way, the numbers will shape debates on reservation for years.
- 2011Last Census conducted
- 2021Scheduled Census postponed due to COVID-19
- 30 Apr 2025Caste enumeration approved
- Apr 2026House-listing phase begins
- Feb 2027Population enumeration
What to watch
Three things will decide the Census's value. First, coverage: remote, migrant and homeless populations are the easiest to miss. Second, confidentiality: the Census Act keeps individual returns confidential, and public trust depends on that promise holding in a digital system. Third, timely release: data published quickly and in usable form helps States, researchers and planners. Getting these right would make Census 2027 a foundation for the next decade of policy.
You now know
- PM called Census 2027 a national responsibility in the 138th Mann Ki Baat on 27 September 2026.
- Data of more than 32 crore families has been recorded; more than 2.6 crore people self-enumerated.
- House-listing began April 2026; population enumeration is due in February 2027.
- Outlay approved: Rs 11,718.24 crore; caste enumeration approved on 30 April 2025.
Go deeper
In one line: India's delayed Census is halfway through, and it is the first to be digital and to count caste beyond SCs and STs.
Why it matters for UPSC
Census facts are classic Prelims material, and caste, population and data governance are recurring GS1 and GS2 themes.
The core idea
The Census of India is a two-phase exercise. The first phase, house-listing, is nearly complete, with over 32 crore families recorded. Citizens can use Self-Enumeration to fill in details themselves. The second phase counts every person. The decision on Caste Enumeration makes this Census politically significant, since it will produce data for debates on reservation and welfare. All of this is carried out by the Registrar General of India under the Census Act, 1948.
Numbers and dates to remember
- Mann Ki Baat episode: 138th, 27 September 2026.
- Families recorded: over 32 crore; self-enumerated: more than 2.6 crore people.
- Phase 1: from April 2026; Phase 2: February 2027.
- Outlay: Rs 11,718.24 crore.
- Caste enumeration approved: 30 April 2025.
Where to go next
- Census of India: The once-a-decade count of every person
- Self-Enumeration: Filling in your own Census form online
- Caste Enumeration: Why counting caste is a big decision
- Registrar General of India: The office that runs the Census
Go deeper: the politics and science of counting
The Census of India is more than a headcount. Its house-listing phase records housing conditions, drinking water, sanitation and assets, which feed programmes on housing and basic services. Its population phase records age, education, work and migration, which feed almost every social sector plan.
The move to Self-Enumeration and mobile collection is a big administrative change. It can reduce errors, but it can also widen gaps if the digital-poor are missed. Door-to-door enumeration remains the safety net.
Caste Enumeration is the most debated feature. Earlier Censuses after Independence counted only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, while the Socio-Economic and Caste Census of 2011 was a separate exercise whose caste data was not fully released. Counting caste within the Census gives the data statutory backing and confidentiality protections, but the Registrar General of India will have to design a consistent way to classify self-reported names.
For answers, weigh three themes: better targeting of welfare, risks to privacy and accuracy, and the political consequences of caste data for reservation and representation.
Where to go next
- Census of India: The once-a-decade count of every person
- Self-Enumeration: Filling in your own Census form online
- Caste Enumeration: Why counting caste is a big decision
- Registrar General of India: The office that runs the Census
Census of India
The once-a-decade count of every person
In one line: The Census is a count of every person living in India, usually done once every ten years.
What it records
It notes how many people live in each place, their age, education, work, language and more. It also records houses and facilities like water and toilets.
Why it matters
Governments use Census numbers to plan schools, hospitals, roads and welfare schemes. Without fresh numbers, planning is guesswork.
This time
The Census due in 2021 was delayed by COVID-19. The new one, called Census 2027, is being done in two phases and is the first to use digital tools.
Where to go next
- Self-Enumeration: Filling in your own Census form online
- Caste Enumeration: Why counting caste is a big decision
Self-Enumeration
Filling in your own Census form online
In one line: Self-enumeration means a family fills in its own Census details online instead of waiting for an enumerator.
How it works
A person logs in with a mobile number, enters the location, fills details about the family and submits. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes and no documents are needed.
What happens next
The family gets a special ID. When the enumerator visits, the ID is used to confirm the information.
How many used it
The Prime Minister said more than 2.6 crore people had already self-enumerated using their mobile phones.
Where to go next
- Census of India: The once-a-decade count of every person
- Caste Enumeration: Why counting caste is a big decision
Caste Enumeration
Why counting caste is a big decision
In one line: Caste enumeration means recording the caste of every person during the Census.
What happened before
After Independence, Censuses counted only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, not other castes.
What changes now
In April 2025 the government decided that Census 2027 will record caste more widely.
Why people debate it
Supporters say accurate numbers will help design fair welfare and reservation policies. Others worry that it may deepen caste divisions or be hard to classify, because people describe their caste in many different ways.
Where to go next
- Census of India: The once-a-decade count of every person
- Self-Enumeration: Filling in your own Census form online
Registrar General of India
The office that runs the Census
In one line: The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, is the officer in charge of conducting the Census.
Where the office sits
The office works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
What it does
It plans the Census, trains lakhs of enumerators, designs the questions, and processes and publishes the results. It also looks after the civil registration system for births and deaths.
The law behind it
The Census is carried out under the Census Act, 1948, which also keeps each person's individual answers confidential.
Where to go next
- Census of India: The once-a-decade count of every person
- Self-Enumeration: Filling in your own Census form online
Registrar General of India: every story that connects to it (2)
Take the 28 September 2026 quiz: 30 Prelims-style questions with answers