Census, 2027

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Polity & Governance

Why in News?

The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI) announced that the Census 2027 will begin on April 1, 2026 with self‑enumeration, followed by house‑to‑house listing.

• Census Definition - Census is the process of collecting, compiling, and publishing the demographic, social, and economic data of a country’s population.
• Population Census – Provides comprehensive data on population size, distribution, and characteristics.
• Conducted by - Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (ORG&CCI).
• Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Constitutional Provision - Census is a Union subject, listed in the 7^th Schedule.
• Legal Basis - Census Act, 1948.
• History of Census in India
  • 1872 - First non‑synchronous nationwide census.
  • 1881 - First synchronous census conducted by W.C. Plowden.
  • Since then, censuses have been conducted every 10 years.
  • Census 2027 will be the first delayed census (by six years).

Registrar General of India (RGI)

• Role Established in - 1949 under Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Functions - Conduct Housing & Population Census.
  • Civil Registration System (Births & Deaths Act, 1969).
  • National Population Register (NPR).
  • Mother Tongue Survey.
  • Sample Registration System (SRS).

Census 2027 – Key Features

• Phases
  • Phase 1 - House Listing & Housing Census (HLO) – housing conditions, amenities, assets.
  • Phase 2 - Population Enumeration – demographic, socio‑cultural, economic data.
• Digital Census - First time data will be collected via mobile apps and self‑enumeration portals.
• Coverage - 28 States, 8 UTs, 784 districts, 5,127 statutory towns, 4,580 census towns, 6,39,902 villages.
• Administrative Boundaries - Officially defined territorial limits such as states, districts, towns, wards, and villages within which census enumeration is carried out.
• Monitoring - Census Management & Monitoring System – web‑based platform for real‑time supervision.
• Data Collected - 33 items including housing, assets, migration, fertility, religion, SC/ST, language, literacy, education, economic activity.
• Verification - Enumerators and supervisors deployed digitally.

Caste Census Context

• Caste Census - Collects data on caste distribution for social justice policies.
• Difference from SECC (2011) - SECC focused on socio‑economic data, not caste enumeration.
• Historical Note - India has not conducted a full caste census since 1931.
• Significance - Helps in targeted welfare, affirmative action, and equitable resource distribution.

Quick Facts

National Population Register (NPR)

• Prepared under - Citizenship Rules, 2003.
• Records - Details of all persons usually residing in India.
• NPR vs NRC - NPR is a database; NRC is a register of citizens. NPR is not automatically linked to NRC.

References

1. Indian Express | Census
2. Indian Express | Census
3. The Hindu | Census