The Census 2027 is the upcoming 16th Indian Census and the 8th since India's Independence, a decennial exercise of collecting, compiling, and disseminating demographic, social, cultural, and economic data relating to all persons in the country. It is a statutory act conducted under the Census Act, 1948, which provides the legal framework for the process. The concept of population counting in India dates back to Kautilya's Arthashastra (321-296 BC), but the first synchronous, all-India census was conducted in 1881, establishing the decennial tradition. The Census is a Union Subject listed at serial number 69 of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, under Article 246.
The process is managed by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It works in two phases: Phase I, the Houselisting and Housing Census, is scheduled between April and September 2026. Phase II, the Population Enumeration, is scheduled for February 2027. The Census Act, 1948, mandates that individuals are legally bound to provide accurate information to census officials (Section 8(2)) and guarantees that the collected data is confidential and cannot be used for non-census purposes, not even being accessible to courts of law.
The Census 2027 marks a significant change as it will be India's first digital census, utilizing mobile-based data collection and a provision for self-enumeration via a dedicated web portal. A major change from the 2011 Census is the inclusion of caste enumeration for all communities, a decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs on April 30, 2025, making it the first such enumeration since 1931. The Census data is crucial for the delimitation of constituencies and the allocation of representation to Parliament and State legislative assemblies. The National Population Register (NPR), a register of usual residents, is also connected to the Census exercise.