The Indian government has issued a notification for the 16th national census, scheduled to take place in 2027, with a special emphasis on caste enumeration. This announcement marks 16 years since the previous census in 2011 and introduces digital and self-enumeration methods to enhance data collection.
The census, pivotal in generating accurate population data, will commence in October 2026 in snow-bound areas such as Ladakh and March 2027 for the rest of India. The initiative involves 34 lakh enumerators and 1.3 lakh census functionaries, focusing on demographic, socio-economic, and cultural statistics.
The process will unfold in two phases: Houselisting Operation, documenting housing conditions and assets, followed by Population Enumeration, capturing detailed personal and cultural data. Security measures will safeguard the integrity of data during collection, transmission, and storage, a priority emphasized by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
