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The much awaited and delayed Census-2027 has been announced and its going to be a ‘digital’ one.

Accounting to a detailed release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB)  on Friday the 12th of December 2026, Union Cabinet cleared the budget for the massive exercise to be conducted at a cost of Rs 11,718.24 crore.

The PIB release stated that the “largest administrative and statistical exercise in the world” will ensure that data is provided to Ministries in a “clean, machine-readable and actionable format” as part of the “Census-as-a-Service (CaaS)” initiative.

“Data dissemination will be much better and in a user friendly way so that all the queries on required parameters for policy making will be made available on the click of a button,” it said.

This will be the first digital Census and the first to enumerate caste in independent India.

It is also to be reminded that the government’s statement does not mention a separate budgetary allocation for updating the National Population Register (NPR), which is the first step for the creation of a countrywide National Register of Citizens.

“The current endeavour would be to make available the coming Census data at the shortest possible time across the country. Efforts will also be made to disseminate Census Results with more customised visualisation tools,” the PIB release stated.

In all around 18,600 technical manpower will be engaged for about 550 days at the local level.

“In another words, around 1.02 crore man-days employment would be generated. Further, the provision of technical manpower at Charge/ District/ State level will also result in capacity building as the nature of job will be related to digital data handling, monitoring and coordination. This will also help in future employment prospects of these persons,” it said.

In the first phase the Census process involves visiting each household and canvassing separate questionnaires for Houselisting and Housing Census and Population Enumeration.

“The enumerators, generally government teachers and appointed by the State Governments, will be doing the field work of Census in addition to their regular duties. Other Census functionaries at Sub-district, District and State levels will also be appointed by the State/District Administration,” it said.

Data will be collected using mobile applications that will be available for both Android and iOS versions and a dedicated portal, namely Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS), has been developed for managing and monitoring the entire Census process in real time.

“Another innovation for Census 2027 is Houselisting Block (HLB) Creator web map application to be used by the Charge Officers. Option to self-enumerate will be provided to the public. Suitable security features have been provisioned for this mammoth digital operation,” it said.

The Census of India will be conducted in two phases: Houselisting and Housing Census from April to September 2026 and Population Enumeration in February 2027.

For the Union Territory of Ladakh and snow bound non-synchronous areas of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Population Enumeration will be conducted in September 2026.

About 30 lakh field functionaries including enumerators, supervisors, master trainers, charge officers and Principal and District Census Officers will be deployed for data collection, monitoring and supervision of Census operations.

All the Census functionaries will be paid suitable honorarium as they will be doing this work in addition to their regular duties.

Census 2027 will have a focused and wider publicity campaign for nationwide awareness, inclusive participation, last-mile engagement and support for field operations.

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, in its meeting on April 30, decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming Census.

“With the huge social and demographic diversity in our country and related challenges, the Census 2027 will also capture caste data electronically in second phase, i.e. Population Enumeration (PE),” it said.

Census 2027 will be the 16th Census in the country and the 8th after Independence.

Census is the biggest source of primary data at village, town and ward level, providing micro level data on various parameters including Housing Condition, Amenities and Assets, Demography, Religion, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe, Language, Literacy and Education, Economic Activity, Migration and Fertility.