Next Census to conclude by March 2027, says government
The next Census exercise, to be held after a long 16-year gap, will be finished by March 1, 2027, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced on Wednesday (June 4, 2025). This will be the first digital Census for India, and will include caste-based details as well.
The census will be conducted in two phases by February 28, 2027, and the data will have a reference date of 12 a.m. on March 1, 2027. The government has, although, not yet notified when the exercise will begin. The notification of the Centre's intention to conduct the census, and the dates of the two phases will be 'published in the official gazette tentatively on June 16 as per provision of section 3 of the Census Act 1948.'
For the Union Territory of Ladakh and the non-synchronous snow-bound areas of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date for the population count will be 12 a.m. on October 1, 2026.
As per the constitutional mandate, the first census after 2026 can be used as the basis to redraw Lok Sabha constituencies. The next general election is expected to be held in 2029.
India's census is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990, and will be completed in two phases: first, the house listing and housing schedule; and then, the population enumeration. Both phases usually span a period of 11 months from April 1 to February 28 the following year. This time around, caste will be enumerated in the second phase.
'A significant addition to the training manual would be the enumeration of caste. Another drop box to record the castes is likely to be added next to the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) tables, the only two categories counted so far,' a senior government official said.
The Hindu's Editorials
The Hindu's Daily Quiz
Landslide in an army camp of which State led to the death of three soldiers?
Chhattisgarh
Jharkhand
Sikkim
Mizoram
To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
India, U.S. trade talks extended as deadline looms for interim deal, sources say
Trade talks between Indian and U.S. officials have been extended into next week as both sides seek consensus on tariff cuts in the farming and auto sectors, aiming to finalise an interim deal before a July 9 deadline, government sources said. A U.S. delegation led by senior officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) held two days of discussions in the national capital with trade officials headed by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, the sources said. Also Read | India-U.S. trade deal in 'not too distant future': U.S. Commerce Secretary Lutnick "The two countries are actively engaged in focused discussions to facilitate greater market access, reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, enhance supply chain resilience and integration," one Indian government official with direct knowledge of the talks, said. Negotiators, who had initially aimed to wrap up talks by Friday, will now continue discussions on Monday and Tuesday to resolve outstanding differences, a second official said. U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed in February to conclude a bilateral trade pact by fall 2025 and more than double trade to $500 billion by 2030. The current talks are part of efforts to hammer out a limited trade agreement that could lead the Trump administration to revoke 26% reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods - tariffs that have been paused along with those on several other U.S. trading partners for 90 days, the second official said. "Many Indian exporters have held back shipments to the U.S. in the last two weeks, fearing cargos may not reach before the July 9 deadline,' the official added. India's exports to the U.S. jumped nearly 28% year-on-year to $37.7 billion in the January–April period, driven by front-loading of shipments ahead of tariff hikes in April, while imports rose to $14.4 billion, widening the trade surplus in India's favour, according to US government data. Centre approved a licence for Elon Musk's Starlink to launch commercial operations, ignoring his public spat with Mr. Trump, Reuters reported on Friday. India is opposing U.S. demands to open up its agricultural and dairy markets, another Indian official said, citing the impact on millions of poor farmers who cannot compete with heavily subsidised American products. Indian officials have also made it clear New Delhi could pursue its complaint at the World Trade Organisation against the U.S. tariff hikes on steel and aluminium, while aiming to work out a bilateral agreement, the source added.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
DMK doubts EPS delimitation claim, says he's acting as BJP mouthpiece
This came as a response to EPS's remarks on X earlier in the day, where he said Chief Minister MK Stalin was speaking of 'fair delimitation' while 'presiding over the most unfair, corrupt, and dynastic regime Tamil Nadu has ever seen'. Palaniswami said the AIADMK would neither allow Tamil Nadu's representation in Parliament to be reduced nor its (state) voice to be silenced. 'In 2027, or whenever delimitation may come, the AIADMK will fiercely defend Tamil Nadu's rightful voice and future,' Palaniswami reiterated in his post on X. On June 2, the CM charged that by delaying the Census to 2027, the BJP-led union government's plans to reduce Tamil Nadu's parliamentary representation have become clear. 'The people of Tamil Nadu are tired of your drama and crocodile tears,' Palaniswami said on X. Regupathy, in his response, stated it was the CM who first exposed 'the BJP's plot' to reduce the number of MP seats of Tamil Nadu. 'After the CM exposed the BJP's plans, EPS has now come to its rescue. It is a blatant lie to claim that he is opposing Hindi imposition and delimitation while aligning with the very party that pushes for them in Tamil Nadu,' the minister charged.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Uttam vows to fight for Telangana's fair share in Krishna waters
Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N on Friday said the Congress govt has been making every effort to stall the Andhra Pradesh govt from illegally utilising Krishna waters. He asserted that the state govt would go to any extent to protect Telangana's rights over river waters. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking about the Godavari-Banakcherla link scheme, under which the AP govt plans to divert the floodwaters from Godavari, the minister said Telangana govt wrote several letters to Union minister of Jal Shakti CR Patil and Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, objecting to the neighbouring state's proposal. He said that the scheme violates the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) tribunal award as well as the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. He dismissed the allegations of the BRS that the state govt was not doing anything to stall the irrigation scheme. "The state govt received a letter from Jal Shakti minister CR Patil last week, who said the Andhra Pradesh govt has not yet submitted a detailed proposal for the Godavari-Banakacherla river linking scheme. He assured the Telangana govt that once the proposal is received from the AP govt, the Central Water Commission (CWC) would examine it in accordance with the existing guidelines, tribunal and inter-state agreements and various provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act 2014, and would take appropriate action," Uttam Kumar Reddy told reporters. He added that the Telangana govt had brought to the notice of the Centre by writing multiple letters that the AP govt was proceeding with calling tenders and awarding contracts for the project, thereby flouting several norms. He urged the Centre not to fund the project and appealed to BJP ministers and MPs from Telangana to cooperate with the state govt on the issue. The minister accused the BRS of doing injustice to Telangana by agreeing to a water-sharing agreement of 299 TMC for Telangana and 512 TMC for AP in Krishna river since 2015. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "It was Congress govt that opposed it and has been asking for 700 TMC for Telangana," Uttam said. The minister further alleged that the BRS govt failed to stop the neighbouring state when it altered the scope of ongoing projects and proposed new schemes to divert the Krishna water. "While 727 TMC of water was utilised outside the Srisailam project during the previous Congress rule between 2004 and 2014, the diversion rose to over 1,250 TMC between 2014 and 2023, as per the official figures," Uttam Kumar Reddy said while giving the various schemes such as Pothireddypadu head regulator and other schemes. He accused the BRS govt of helping the Andhra Pradesh govt led by Jaganmohan Reddy earlier to take up the Rayalaseem Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) and even asked the Centre to postpone the Apex council meeting to allow the AP to complete tendering process in 2020. The minister said that had the BRS govt not spent an additional Rs 68,000 crore on Kaleshwaram and instead allocated funds to other irrigation schemes, the state could have brought an additional 25 lakh acres under irrigation.
