Census 2027 to be held in two phases with caste enumeration; reference date 1 March 2027
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced on 4 June 2025 that Population Census-2027 will be conducted in two phases along with enumeration of castes, with 1 March 2027 as the reference date.
Summary
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced on 4 June 2025 that Population Census-2027 will be conducted in two phases along with enumeration of castes. The reference date will be 00:00 hours of 1 March 2027, while for the Union Territory of Ladakh and the non-synchronous snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand it will be 00:00 hours of 1 October 2026. The notification of intent to conduct the Census with these reference dates was to be published in the official gazette tentatively on 16 June 2025 under section 3 of the Census Act, 1948. The Census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990; the last Census was held in 2011, and Census 2021 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key facts
- Announced
- 4 Jun 2025, MHA
- Phases
- Two, with enumeration of castes
- Reference date
- 00:00 hrs, 1 Mar 2027
- Snow-bound areas
- 1 Oct 2026 (Ladakh; snow-bound J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand)
- Law
- Census Act, 1948; Census Rules, 1990
- Gazette notification
- Tentatively 16 Jun 2025 (section 3)
- Last Census
- 2011
Practice MCQs 4 questions
What will be the reference date for Population Census-2027 for most of India, as announced on 4 June 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 1 March 2027
The reference date for Population Census-2027 will be 00:00 hours of 1 March 2027 for most of the country.
For Ladakh and the snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, what is the reference date for Census-2027?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 1 October 2026
For Ladakh and the non-synchronous snow-bound areas of J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be 00:00 hours of 1 October 2026.
Under which law is the Census of India conducted?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Census Act, 1948
The Census of India is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990; the Census-2027 notification was to be issued under section 3 of the Act.
Consider the following statements about Population Census-2027: 1. It will be conducted in a single phase. 2. The last Census of India before it was conducted in 2001. Which of the above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Neither 1 nor 2
Neither statement is correct. Census-2027 will be conducted in two phases along with enumeration of castes, and the last Census was conducted in 2011.