India Launches Digital Census 2027
Analysis based on 25 articles · First reported Mar 30, 2026 · Last updated Apr 03, 2026
The launch of India's digital census is a significant administrative undertaking that will provide updated demographic and socio-economic data. This data is crucial for India's policymaking, resource allocation, and potential redrawing of political maps, which could influence various sectors and investment decisions within the country.
India has commenced its 16th national census, the world's largest, which will be conducted digitally for the first time. The census, postponed from 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, aims to count over 1.4 billion people. It is divided into two phases: Houselisting and Housing Census (Phase I, April-September 2026) and Population Enumeration (Phase II, February 2027). The government has clarified that live-in couples who consider their relationship a 'stable union' will be counted as married. The census will also include a broader accounting of caste, which is expected to reshape welfare programs and political representation. The exercise involves over 3 million enumerators and an approved outlay of ₹11,718.24 crore, with a self-enumeration portal available in 16 languages.
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