Next Census to conclude by March 2027

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India’s next Census will conclude by March 1, 2027.
This will be the first digital Census of India.
It will also be the first post-Independence Census to include caste enumeration.

Relevance : GS 2(Social Issues , Governance)

Two-phase Census to be completed by February 28, 2027.
Reference date:
- March 1, 2027 (for most of India).
- October 1, 2026 (for snow-bound areas in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand).
The notification of Census phases is expected on June 16, 2025, under Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948.
No official start date for the enumeration has been declared yet.

Expected to improve data accuracy, efficiency, and real-time data processing.
May involve use of mobile apps or digital forms by enumerators.
Data privacy and infrastructure readiness will be critical challenges.

For the first time since Independence, caste data will be collected during the Census.
May help in policy formulation, welfare targeting, and social justice planning.
However, it could also lead to political and social complexities (e.g., demand for revised quotas).

Under Article 82 and Article 170, the first Census after 2026 will form the basis for delimitation (redrawing of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies).
Currently, constituencies are based on 1971 Census due to a freeze implemented by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment and extended by the 84th Amendment (2001) till after the 2026 Census.
Hence, 2027 Census data could trigger a major political shift, especially in representation from high-population states.

Delayed by 16 years (last Census was in 2011).
COVID-19 delayed the originally scheduled 2021 Census.
Logistical scale, training digital enumerators, and cybersecurity are major operational challenges.
Political sensitivities around caste data and regional population growth disparities may influence national debates.