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3 min readNew DelhiMar 30, 2026 01:36 PM IST
The schedule and questionnaire for the second phase of Census 2027 will be published later (File photo)
With the first phase of Census 2027 set to launch this Wednesday, April 1, the Centre Monday said that caste enumeration will be conducted during the second phase of the exercise, known as Population Enumeration (PE).
Addressing a press conference, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, Registrar General and Census Commissioner, detailed the two-pronged structure of the national exercise: Phase 1, Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO), focuses on housing conditions, available amenities, and household assets. It provides a frame for Phase 2. The second phase provides data on demographic, socio-cultural, and economic parameters, including migration and fertility.
“Cast enumeration will be done during the second phase of the Census,” Narayan said.
He said the questions for the first phase were notified on January 22 this year, while the schedule and questionnaire for the second phase will be published in due course.
Timeline and methodology
The Census will kick off with self-enumeration starting April 1. This will be followed by a house-to-house Houselisting operation by designated enumerators beginning April 16. The first phase is scheduled to be completed within a 30-day window between April and September 2026.
Census 2027 will cover 36 states and Union Territories, 784 districts, 5,127 statutory towns, 4,580 Census towns, and 6,39,902 villages.
Replying to a query about the update of the National Population Register (NPR), Narayan said that no decision has been taken to update the NPR as of now.
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Asked that the West Bengal government has not published the Census notification yet, Narayan said, “West Bengal has not published the Census notification. We have taken up this issue with them. We hope that the state will publish the notification, which is a legal requirement. For the first phase, we have time till September 2026.”
The Census is a Union subject and is listed at serial number 69 in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.
On June 16 last year, the Centre issued a notification declaring its intent to conduct the Census 2027.
The notification, issued by the Office of Registrar General of India (RGI) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, said the reference date for the Census is set for March 1, 2027, for most of the country. However, for snow-bound and non-synchronous areas, including Ladakh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the reference date is set for October 1, 2026.
Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister’s Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More
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