India has initiated the commencement of Census 2027, which is anticipated to be the largest population survey globally, and the first to be carried out digitally with a self-enumeration option. This marks the beginning of the country’s 16th Census and eighth since gaining Independence. The process kicks off on April 1 with the House Listing and Housing Census phase, which will unfold in states and Union Territories following staggered schedules.
In a significant shift from the traditional paper-based approach, enumerators will utilize a mobile application on smartphones to collect and submit data. Additionally, residents have the option to input their information online through a self-enumeration portal accessible in 16 languages, including Hindi and English.
Respondents can log in using their mobile number, furnish household particulars, and obtain a unique Self-Enumeration ID for the enumerator’s visit. The initial phase will concentrate on housing conditions, household amenities, and assets, gathering data on various aspects such as construction materials, resident count, ownership status, water and sanitation availability, electricity, cooking fuel, and possession of assets like vehicles, mobile phones, and internet services. The questionnaire for this phase was set by the government in January 2026.
The rollout will vary by state, with Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Sikkim conducting houselisting from April 16 to May 15, and self-enumeration from April 1 to April 15. Another group of states including Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana will commence houselisting from May 1 to May 30, preceded by a self-enumeration period from April 16 to April 30.
The subsequent phase, Population Enumeration, is slated for February 2027, with snow-covered regions like Ladakh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh following an earlier schedule from September 2026. The Census reference date is set at 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027, with October 1, 2026, as the reference date for snow-bound areas. Caste enumeration will also be conducted during this phase.
Over 3 million enumerators, supervisors, and officials will participate in the nationwide exercise. The Union government has allocated a budget of 11,718.24 crore for Census 2027, encompassing technology, logistics, and training. Rigorous training arrangements have been made, deploying numerous trainers to prepare field staff and ensuring data security measures are in place.
With the integration of digital tools, real-time monitoring, and self-enumeration, Census 2027 signifies a substantial transformation in India’s population counting methods, despite the unmatched scale and complexity of the operation.