Census 2027 Gets Cabinet Nod; India To Conduct Massive Count In Two Phases
The Indian Union Cabinet has approved the upcoming population census, planned to be conducted in two stages.
The Union Cabinet on Friday approved the proposal to conduct the Census of India 2027, setting aside ₹11,718 crore for what will be the country’s first fully digital population count.
The nationwide exercise will roll out in two phases. The Houselisting and Housing Census will be carried out between April and September 2026, followed by the Population Enumeration (PE) in February 2027. In Ladakh, as well as the snow-bound, non-synchronous regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the population count will take place earlier, in September 2026.
India Prepares for Its First App-Based Census
Nearly 30 lakh field functionaries will be deployed to undertake the massive door-to-door operation. Enumerators, primarily government school teachers appointed by state authorities, will conduct the fieldwork in addition to their existing duties. Additional census teams will also be designated at the sub-district, district and state levels to support the process.
The 2027 Census will introduce several significant innovations aimed at improving accuracy, speed and transparency. For the first time, data will be collected digitally through mobile applications available on both Android and iOS platforms. A dedicated Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS) portal has been developed to track the entire operation in real time.
Officials will also use a new Houselisting Block (HLB) Creator web-map tool, designed to help Charge Officers streamline and verify mapping data. In another major shift, citizens will have the option to self-enumerate, allowing them to submit their information independently through approved digital platforms.
To safeguard the vast volume of data generated during the exercise, authorities have incorporated enhanced security features across all digital systems involved in the operation.
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