India to Include Caste Data in 2027 Census After 95 Years

The second phase of India’s national census will run from 25 January 2027 to 28 February 2027, covering 40 questions, including caste for the first time since 1931. The first phase—house‑to‑house enumeration—was completed in June 2026.

The census will be nationwide except for five states—Manipur, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand—where elections may be held in early 2027, and the snow‑bound regions of Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, where road closures due to heavy snowfall make enumeration impractical. In Manipur, ongoing ethnic tensions have led to an indefinite postponement of the census.

The government has issued a notification under the Census Act, 1948, allowing citizens to self‑enumerate online from 10 to 24 January 2027 via a dedicated portal. The reference date for the census is 1 March 2027 at midnight. Data will be collected digitally using tablets or mobile apps by roughly 3 million enumerators and supervisors.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Registrar General of India, has approved a budget of ₹11,718.24 crore for the 2027 census. The census will be the country’s first fully digital exercise, with strict confidentiality under Section 15 of the Census Act; personal data will not be released under RTI or used as court evidence.

The 40‑question list released in July 2026 includes new items such as the location of COVID‑19 vaccination, number of bank accounts, mobile number, Aadhaar, and voter ID. The census will also ask about household composition and employment.

Verification: The information comes from a government notification and the Ministry of Home Affairs’ official portal. Citizens can confirm details by visiting the portal or checking the Gazette of India.