Centre answers why census was pushed to 2027
What's the story
The Indian government announced that the long-overdue census will be conducted in two phases before March 1, 2027, last week. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had initially planned for the census to be held in 2021, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftereffects. "The aftershock of Covid-19 continued for quite some time," it claimed, adding that countries that conducted censuses immediately after COVID-19 saw challenges with "quality and coverage" of data.
Reason
COVID disrupted all sectors: Centre
"COVID disrupted all sectors including education. Around 30 lakh enumerators are needed for Census. Enumerators, who are primary school teachers, are key persons for conducting Census. Conducting Census after Covid could have disrupted primary education immensely," the statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs said. It also clarified the budget has never been a limitation for conducting the census because funds are always allocated by the government.
Census details
Reference date for census
This will be India's 16th national population census and will include caste enumeration for the first time since 1931. The upcoming census will have a reference date of March 1, 2027, for most of India. However, for Ladakh and the snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, there will be a reference date of October 1, 2026. The process will start with house listing and updating the National Population Register (NPR) from March or April 2026.
Political reactions
Concerns raised over delimitation exercises
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has raised concerns over possible impacts on parliamentary representation due to delayed delimitation exercises linked to the census. In response, the MHA assured that southern states' concerns would be addressed during delimitation discussions. The Congress party also criticized the delay, with Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh saying on social media that "the Modi Government is capable only of generating headlines, not meeting deadlines."
Census importance
Census crucial for government policies and planning
The upcoming census is crucial as it will provide important socioeconomic and demographic data for government policies and planning. It will also confirm India's status as the world's most populous nation. The census could also impact caste-based quotas in jobs and education, delimitation exercises affecting Lok Sabha seats, and women's reservation in legislatures. The official notification for conducting the census is likely to be published on June 16, 2025, as per section 3 of the Census Act 1948.