The union government has announced the budget for the 2027 census on Friday. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the cabinet has allocated a budget of ₹11,718 crore for the census. The country's first digital census will be conducted in two phases, first house enlisting and then population enumeration.
Vaishnaw said that India has been maintaining census records for more than 150 years, emphasising the continuity and importance of the database. The 2027 census will be India's 16th and the eighth since independence. The entire operation will be conducted according to the Census Act of 1948 and the Census Rules of 1990.
Two phased census
First phase: House listing and housing census will be conducted from April to September 2026. This part is scheduled to be completed within 30 days. Respective states will determine the timing according to their convenience.
Second phase: Population Enumeration (PE) will be held in February 2027. However, in the snow-covered regions of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the census will be conducted in September 2026 due to natural obstacles.
Digital Census
For the first time, the census will be conducted digitally in the country. Data will be collected through mobile applications (both Android and iOS). The census phases will be monitored in real-time through the CMMS portal. This time, the use of the 'House listing Block Creator web map tool' and self-enumeration arrangements are also being implemented.
The last census was conducted in 2011. The census was suspended in 2021 due to COVID. The minister announced that all measures are being taken in this census to present accurate and transparent information.
