Phase 2 (Population Enumeration) of Census 2027 will begin in mid‑August 2026 in Ladakh and other snow‑bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, with online self‑enumeration followed by door‑to‑door enumeration in September. The census will collect caste data for the first time since 1931 and will also record details such as parents’ birth information and passport data through a fully digital system, as per a Times of India report.
Caste data to be collected after 95 years
One of the major features of Census 2027 is the return of caste enumeration during the population enumeration phase (Phase 2), as per official notifications and media reports.
- People will declare their caste themselves (self‑declaration).
- No caste certificate or other supporting document will be required.
- Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe options will appear through state‑specific digital menus.
- People belonging to other caste groups can enter their caste/jati name directly.
- Digital tools, including AI‑assisted processing, are expected to be used to standardise and classify the large number of self‑declared caste names.
Parents’ birth details likely to be recorded
For the first time, the census questionnaire is expected to capture the date (or at least year) and place of birth of a respondent’s parents, based on the respondent’s best knowledge, as per the TOI report.
- Respondents can provide the birth year if the exact date is not known.
- The system will accept partial information when full details are unavailable.
- No documents will be required during data collection.
Officials have clarified that individual census data collected under the Census Act cannot be used as legal evidence, made public in identifiable form, or used to determine eligibility for government schemes, the Times of India reported.
Passport and Aadhaar details in the questionnaire
Census 2027 questionnaire may also seek certain additional voluntary details:
- Passport: Passport number can be recorded if available; this is not a mandatory field.
- Aadhaar: Providing an Aadhaar number will remain voluntary; respondents can choose whether to share it.
Digital self‑enumeration and important dates
The government has planned a special schedule for snow‑bound regions before winter conditions make fieldwork difficult.
- August 17 to 30/31: Online self‑enumeration period for snow‑bound/non‑synchronous areas.
- September 1 to 30: Door‑to‑door population enumeration in these areas.
- October 1 to 5: Revisional round.
- Reference date: 00:00 hours of October 1, for these snow‑bound areas; for the rest of India, the reference date is 00:00 hours of March 1, 2027.
Phase 2 (Population Enumeration) for the rest of India is scheduled to begin in February 2027, following the 2026 house‑listing phase.
India’s first fully digital census
The Union Cabinet has approved a budget of Rs 11,718.24 crore for Census 2027. It will be India’s first fully digital census and will use:
- Dedicated mobile applications for enumerators,
- An online self‑enumeration portal for households and
- Satellite‑based mapping and real‑time monitoring systems developed with support from agencies including C‑DAC.
Bureau Report
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