By The Sampadak Express
The Government of India has announced that the next national census will commence on March 1, 2027, marking the first comprehensive population survey in 16 years. The decennial exercise, delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will now also include caste and sub-caste data for the first time in decades.
In snow-bound states and union territories such as Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the census will begin earlier, starting in October 2026, due to weather-related constraints.
Sources within the government confirmed that the census will be conducted in two phases and will feature an expanded questionnaire, incorporating caste-related details alongside standard demographic and socio-economic indicators.
The inclusion of caste data officially confirmed by the government on April 30 marks a significant policy shift and responds to long-standing demands from the opposition and civil society groups. The move comes ahead of key state elections, including in Bihar, where over 63% of the population belongs to Backward or Extremely Backward Classes.
India’s last census was conducted in 2011. The 2021 edition was postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic, creating a substantial gap in vital population data. Experts and political leaders have since emphasized the urgent need for updated statistics to inform governance, welfare schemes, and socio-economic planning.
The upcoming 2027 census is expected to play a crucial role in shaping national and state-level policy, particularly with the newly introduced focus on caste composition.
