By The Sampadak Express
The Union Home Ministry has officially announced the schedule for India’s much-anticipated population census the first since 2011 setting in motion a comprehensive two-phase digital exercise that will begin later this decade.
According to the notification, the first phase the Houselisting Operation (HLO) will commence on October 1, 2026, while the second phase the Population Enumeration (PE) will start on March 1, 2027. This marks India’s first-ever digital census, introducing a self-enumeration option that allows citizens to submit their details via smartphones or online platforms from the comfort of their homes.
Two Phases: What Will Be Covered?
Phase 1: Houselisting Operation (HLO)
Scheduled for October 2026, this phase will gather detailed information on households, including data related to housing conditions, assets, income levels, and access to essential services like water supply, electricity, sanitation, and toilets.
Phase 2: Population Enumeration (PE)
Beginning March 2027, this phase will record personal and demographic information such as age, gender, education, occupation, religion, language, and other individual details for every household member.
In a historic move, the 2026-27 census will also include caste-based enumeration for the first time since India’s independence. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier confirmed the inclusion of caste data, making this one of the most exhaustive demographic exercises ever undertaken in the country.
A Landmark Digital Initiative
This will be India’s first digital census, aimed at enhancing accuracy, transparency, and efficiency. The digital model is expected to simplify data collection, minimize errors, and increase participation through self-enumeration options, especially in remote and urban areas.
The previous census was conducted in 2011. The 2021 census, originally scheduled a decade later, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the longest interval between two censuses in India’s post-independence history.
Implications for Policy and Governance
The announcement of the census dates carries significant political and legislative importance. It paves the way for the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill and the long-pending delimitation of electoral constituencies.
The Women’s Reservation Bill, which proposes reserving one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women, requires updated census data and delimitation before it can take effect.
Delimitation, the process of redrawing electoral boundaries based on population changes, was last conducted using the 1971 Census data. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment of 1976 froze delimitation until 2000. Although the 84th Amendment Act of 2001 allowed limited boundary adjustments using 2001 Census figures, the overall number of seats remained unchanged. Full-scale delimitation has been deferred until the first census after 2026.
With preparations now officially underway, India is set to undertake one of the largest and most complex data-gathering exercises in the world, with far-reaching implications for governance, representation, and resource allocation.
