CENSU 2027: CENTRE NOTIFIES 40 QUESTIONS, CASTE ENUMERATION INCLUDED FOR FIRST TIME SINCE INDEPENDENCE
New Delhi, Aug 14, 2026 : The Centre has notified a set of 40 questions to be asked during the population enumeration phase of Census 2027, including questions on caste, religion, education, employment, migration and other demographic and socio-economic details.
The notification issued by the Office of the Registrar General, India, under the Census Act, 1948, marks a significant change as comprehensive caste enumeration will be undertaken for all communities for the first time since Independence.
The population enumeration will ordinarily be conducted in February 2027. However, in Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the exercise will be conducted from September 1 to 30, 2026.
The government has also provided an option for self-enumeration from August 17 to 31 for these areas, ahead of the house-to-house population enumeration.
Caste enumeration a major feature:
Question number 10 in the Household Schedule specifically asks whether a person belongs to a Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) or other caste, making caste enumeration a prominent feature of Census 2027.
While previous post-Independence censuses systematically enumerated Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, comprehensive enumeration of castes across communities was not part of the decennial Census. The decision to include caste enumeration in Census 2027 was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs in April 2025.
The government has said the move will enable the collection of comprehensive caste-related demographic information as part of the population enumeration phase.
Wide range of demographic information:
The 40-question schedule will collect basic details such as the name of the person, relationship with the head of household, sex, date of birth, age, marital status, age at marriage and spouse’s name.
It will also cover nationality, religion, caste, parents’ details, disability, mother tongue and other languages known, literacy and digital literacy, educational attendance and the highest level of education attained.
The questionnaire includes several employment-related parameters, including whether a person worked during the previous year, economic activity, occupation, industry, trade or service, class of worker and non-economic activity. It will also ask whether a person is seeking or available for work and details relating to travel to the workplace.
Migration-related questions will cover place of birth, place of last residence, reason for migration, duration of stay at the present village or town and permanent residential address.
For specified categories of women, the schedule will collect information on children ever born alive, surviving children and children born alive during the preceding year.
Among other questions, the schedule will seek information on the place of COVID-19 vaccination, number of bank accounts, mobile number, Aadhaar number, voter ID number, passport number for Indian passport holders and availability of a driving licence.
First digital Census:
Census 2027 will be India’s first digital Census, with data collection to be carried out using digital tools. The exercise will also provide citizens with an option for self-enumeration.
The Census will be conducted in two phases. The first phase, House Listing and Housing Census, is scheduled to be carried out between April and September 2026, with each state and Union Territory conducting the exercise over a 30-day period according to its convenience.
A self-enumeration facility will also be available for 15 days immediately before the house-to-house exercise in the first phase.
The second phase, Population Enumeration, will focus on demographic, socio-economic, cultural, migration and fertility-related information. Caste enumeration will form part of this phase.
Legal framework and confidentiality:
Census 2027 is being conducted under the legal framework of the Census Act, 1948 and Census Rules, 1990. Census is a Union subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution and is centrally coordinated in cooperation with state and Union Territory governments.
The government has emphasised that individual information collected during the Census will remain confidential. Under Section 15 of the Census Act, personal information provided by individuals is treated as confidential and cannot be made public or used as evidence in a court of law.
The intent to conduct Population Census 2027 was notified in the Gazette of India on June 16, 2025. The Union Cabinet has approved a financial outlay of Rs 11,718.24 crore for the exercise.
The Census is expected to provide an updated picture of India’s demographic, social and economic landscape, with the inclusion of comprehensive caste enumeration making Census 2027 a significant departure from previous post-Independence exercises.