Census 2027 in 2 phases; Union Cabinet approves ₹11,718cr budget
What's the story
The Union Cabinet has approved a budget of ₹11,718.24 crore for the Census of India 2027. The announcement was made by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This will be the 16th census in the series and eighth since India's independence.
Digital transition
Census 2027 to be India's 1st digital census
Census 2027 will be India's first-ever digital census, with a focus on data protection. Vaishnaw said the exercise will be conducted in two phases: Houselisting and Housing Census from April to September 2026, and Population Enumeration (PE) in February 2027. For certain regions like Ladakh and snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, PE will take place in September 2026.
Technological advancements
Mobile app and central portal to ensure data quality
Around 30 lakh field functionaries will be deployed for this national exercise. The Census-as-a-service (CaaS) will provide ministries with clean, machine-readable, actionable data. Data will be collected solely using mobile applications that are compatible with both Android and iOS. A newly designed Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS) portal will monitor operations in real time. The Census will also include a web-based Houselisting Block (HLB) Creator program for charge officers, and offer the public option to self-enumerate.
Caste data
Caste enumeration to be included in Census 2027
The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has decided to include caste enumeration in Census 2027. This will be done electronically during the Population Enumeration phase. The exercise aims to provide micro-level data on various parameters such as housing condition, amenities, assets, demography, religion, SC/ST status, language, literacy, education, and economic activity.
Employment generation
Census 2027 to create over 1 crore man-days of employment
The Census will generate about 1.02 crore man-days of employment and engage around 18,600 technical personnel for about 550 days at local levels. This exercise is expected to enhance capacity building in digital data handling and coordination. The Census Act, 1948, and the Census Rules, 1990, provide a legal framework for conducting this massive administrative and statistical exercise.