New Delhi [India], June 16 (ANI): The Central Government on Monday officially notified that the 16th Census of India, which for the first time will include a caste enumeration, will begin in March 2027. The announcement was made via a Gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Census Act of 1948.
According to the notification, the reference date for the census will be March 1, 2027, for most of the country. However, in snow-bound and non-synchronous regions such as Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be October 1, 2026, to account for seasonal conditions.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the preparations for the upcoming Census on June 15 in New Delhi. The review meeting was attended by the Union Home Secretary, Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, and other senior officials. Sharing details on X, Amit Shah said, “Reviewed the preparations for the 16th Census with senior officials. Tomorrow, the gazette notification of the census will be issued. The census will include caste enumeration for the first time.”
The Census operation will involve an extensive workforce, comprising 34 lakh enumerators and supervisors, as well as around 1.3 lakh Census functionaries, who will conduct the operations. It will be executed using digital mobile applications, marking a significant technological shift from previous exercises. Citizens will also have the option of self-enumeration.
The Census will be conducted in two phases:
- House Listing Operation (HLO) – to collect data on housing conditions, assets, and amenities of each household.
- Population Enumeration (PE) – to gather demographic, socio-economic, and cultural information about each individual, including caste data for the first time.
This upcoming enumeration marks the 16th Census of India and the 8th since independence. Authorities have assured that robust digital security measures will be implemented to safeguard the integrity and confidentiality of the data during collection, transmission, and storage.
The announcement sets in motion preparations for one of the world’s largest and most complex administrative exercises, with implications for planning, policymaking, and social welfare programming in the years to come. (ANI)
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