New Delhi, Dec 2: The Union government on Tuesday announced that India’s next national Census will be carried out in two phases between April 2026 and February 2027, with preparations underway to finalise the questionnaire. The exercise, delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has now been formally rescheduled for 2027.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the intent to conduct the Census was notified in the Gazette on June 16, 2025.

“The government has decided to conduct Census in 2027,” Rai said. “Phase I — House Listing and Housing Census — will be conducted from April to September 2026 in a period of 30 days as per the convenience of the State/UT governments. Phase II — Population Enumeration — will be carried out in February 2027 with reference date March 1, 2027.”

For the Union territory of Ladakh, snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, and parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the Population Enumeration will be conducted earlier, in September 2026, with a reference date of October 1, 2026.

Rai also confirmed that caste enumeration will be included in Census 2027, following approval by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs on April 30, 2025.

The Ministry of Home Affairs earlier said census questions are notified after finalisation, and that respondents are legally required under Section 8(2) of the Census Act, 1948, to answer questions “to the best of their knowledge or belief.”

India’s last Census was held in 2011. The 2021 exercise -- fully prepared for rollout -- was postponed indefinitely due to the nationwide COVID-19 outbreak.

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The Census of India, conducted under the Census Act, 1948, and Census Rules, 1990, remains the country’s largest administrative operation and forms the backbone of planning, welfare delivery and resource allocation.