Get ready, India! The countdown to the next big national headcount has officially begun. The Government of India has announced that Census 2027 is on the way, with the Ministry of Home Affairs rolling out the official notification. Mark your calendars—March 1, 2027 is the big date for most of the country. But wait, in the snowy pockets of Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the count will start earlier, on October 1, 2026, to beat the chill. It’s the 16th census since 1872 and the 8th after independence—India is getting ready to know itself better!
The Government of India has officially announced the commencement of Census 2027. On Monday, June 16, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a detailed notification confirming the government’s intent to conduct the population census. The upcoming census will roll out in two phases across the country, bringing India one step closer to its next major demographic count. The notification provided key timelines and reference dates that citizens should now mark on their calendars.
Census Reference Dates Confirmed for All States and Union Territories
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The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed the reference date for Census 2027 across India.
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March 1, 2027, will serve as the reference date for:
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All states
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All Union Territories, except a few specified snowbound regions.
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For the snowbound regions, the reference date will be October 1, 2026. These regions include:
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Ladakh
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Jammu and Kashmir (snowbound non-synchronous areas)
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Himachal Pradesh
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Uttarakhand
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The official notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs read:
“The reference date for the said census shall be 00.00 hours [12 am] of the 1st day of March, 2027, except for the Union territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.”
Special Census Timeline For Snowbound Regions
For India’s high-altitude, snow-covered territories, the census will begin earlier. The notification added, “In respect of the Union territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date shall be 00:00 hours of the 1st day of October, 2026.” The government carefully scheduled the census for these regions to avoid logistical hurdles caused by extreme winter weather. Citizens in these areas can expect the counting process to start before the rest of the country.
Census 2027 To Be Conducted Under The Census Act, 1948
The government has confirmed that Census 2027 will follow the guidelines set under the Census Act, 1948, and the Census Rules, 1990. The official gazette notification stated, “In the exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Census Act, 1948 (37 of 1948), and in supersession of the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs (Office of the Registrar General, India) number S.O. 1455(E), dated the 26th March, 2019, the Central Government hereby declares that a census of the population of India shall be taken during the year 2027.” This announcement formally kickstarts preparations for the nation’s next major population count, setting the stage for a detailed nationwide demographic exercise.
Why The Census Was Delayed: COVID-19’s Impact On The 2021 Census
India last conducted its census in 2011, using a two-phase structure. The first phase, House Listing Operations (HLO), took place from April to September 2010, followed by the second phase, Population Enumeration (PE), which ran from February 9 to February 28, 2011. The 2021 Census, initially planned to follow a similar timeline, faced unavoidable delays. The government confirmed that all preparations for Phase I were completed, and fieldwork was scheduled to commence on April 1, 2020. However, the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the government to postpone the entire exercise indefinitely. This disruption has left the nation without updated, official population data for over a decade. The 2027 Census announcement now marks the first step towards bridging this long data gap, which is crucial for planning, policymaking, and resource allocation across India’s rapidly changing demographic landscape.
(With Inputs From PTI)
