The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that the Population Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases, including an enumeration of castes. The reference date for the census will be 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027, except for the Union Territory of Ladakh and snowbound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, where the reference date will be 00:00 hours on October 1, 2026. A notification of intent will be published in the official gazette on or around June 16, 2025, as per the Census Act of 1948. The Census of India is conducted under the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990. The last census was conducted in 2011. The Census 2021 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Home Affairs: The government ministry responsible for the Population Census 2027.
Population Census 2027: The upcoming population census to be conducted in India, including enumeration of castes.
March, 2027: The reference date for Population Census 2027 for most of India.
Union Territory of Ladakh: A Union Territory of India, subject to a different census reference date due to snowbound areas.
Jammu and Kashmir: A Union Territory of India, specifically the non-synchronous snowbound areas, subject to a different census reference date.
Himachal Pradesh: A state of India, specifically the snowbound areas, subject to a different census reference date.
Uttarakhand: A state of India, specifically the snowbound areas, subject to a different census reference date.
October, 2026: The reference date for Population Census 2027 in the Union Territory of Ladakh and the non-synchronous snowbound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi. The source of the posted notification.
Census Act 1948: The legal basis for conducting the Census of India. Section 3 is specifically mentioned.
Census Rules, 1990: Rules pertaining to Census of India
Census of India: Official Census of India
2011: The year the last Census of India was conducted.
Phase I House Listing HLO: The first phase of the 2011 Census, involving house listing operations. Conducted from 1 April to 30 September 2010.
Phase II Population Enumeration PE: The second phase of the 2011 Census, involving population enumeration. Conducted from 09 February to 28 February 2011.
March 2011: Reference date for the 2011 census.
October 2010: Reference date for the 2011 census in snowbound non synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh
Census 2021: The census that was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
April-September 2020: Proposed period for Phase I of Census 2021.
February 2021: Proposed period for Phase II of Census 2021.
COVID19: The pandemic that caused the postponement of Census 2021.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Population Census-2027 to be conducted in two
phases along with enumeration of castes
The reference date for Population Census - 2027 will
be 00:00 hours of the first day of March, 2027
For the Union Territory of Ladakh and the non-
synchronous snow-bound areas of the UT of Jammu
and Kashmir and States of Himachal Pradesh and
Uttarakhand, the reference date will be 00.00 hours
of the first day of October, 2026
Posted On: 04 JUN 2025 5:30PM by PIB Delhi
It has been decided to conduct Population Census-2027 in two phases along with enumeration of castes. The
reference date for Population Census - 2027 will be 00:00 hours of the first day of March, 2027. For the
Union Territory of Ladakh and the non-synchronous snow-bound areas of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and
States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be 00.00 hours of the first day of
October, 2026. The notification for intent of conducting Population Census with the above reference dates
will be published in the official gazette tentatively on 16.06.2025, as per provision of section 3 of Census Act
1948.
The Census of India is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990.
The last Census of India was conducted in 2011 in two phases, namely i) Phase I – House Listing (HLO) (1
April to 30 September 2010) and (ii) Phase II – Population Enumeration (PE) (09 February to 28 February
2011) with reference date - 00:00 hours of the first day of March 2011, except for snow-bound non-
synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh for which it was conducted
during 11 to 30 September 2010 with reference date as 00.00 hours of the first day of October 2010.
Census 2021 was also proposed to be conducted in two phases in a similar manner with phase I
during April-September 2020 and second phase in February 2021. All the preparations for the first
phase of the Census to be conducted in 2021 were completed and field work was scheduled to
begin in some States/UTs from April 1, 2020. However, due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic
across the country, the census work was postponed.
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RK / VV / RR / PS(Release ID: 2133845)