Census 2027: Key Dates and Details for Population Enumeration in India
Census Enumeration Timeline Announced
New Delhi: The population enumeration for the upcoming Census 2027 is set to occur in Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and certain regions of Uttarakhand from December 1, 2026, to January 4, 2027. This announcement was made by the Registrar General of India on Saturday, with the timing adjusted to accommodate states that are expected to hold elections early next year.
According to a gazette notification, citizens in these states will have the opportunity for self-enumeration from November 16 to November 30, 2026.
The notification detailed that the Census will be conducted in Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and non-snowbound areas of Uttarakhand from December 1, 2026, to January 4, 2027, with a revision period from January 5 to January 9, 2027.
For the Union Territory of Ladakh and snow-affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be set at midnight on October 1, 2026.
A previous gazette notification indicated that the enumeration in Ladakh and the snowbound regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand will take place from September 1 to September 30.
The self-enumeration period for these areas was available from August 17 to August 31.
Last June, the government announced that the reference date for the Census across the country, excluding the aforementioned regions, would be set at midnight on March 1, 2027.
The enumeration for the rest of the country is anticipated to commence in February next year, excluding snowbound areas, during which data will be collected on various demographic, socio-cultural, and economic factors, including migration and fertility rates from each household.
The terms for the state assemblies in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are set to conclude by May 2027, with elections likely to occur early next year.
An official noted that many government employees, particularly teachers, are involved in both the Census and election processes, complicating the simultaneous execution of these tasks.
Additionally, the central government has postponed the house-listing operations for Census 2027 in Manipur, as stated in another notification from the Registrar General of India.
This Census, the eighth since India gained independence, will be conducted in two phases: the first phase involves house listing and housing census, while the second phase focuses on population enumeration.
Originally scheduled for 2021, this decennial exercise was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Union Cabinet has allocated ₹11,718 crore for this Census, marking it as the largest headcount initiative to date.