India Expected To Conclude Long-Awaited Census By March 2027

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – India’s decennial population census, significantly delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other logistical challenges, is now slated for completion by March 1, 2027. The interior ministry announced on June 4 that the massive data collection exercise would be conducted in two phases, marking a six-year postponement from its original 2021 schedule.

While the ministry’s statement confirmed March 1, 2027, as the reference date for the survey, it did not specify an exact start date. However, it is widely anticipated that the first phase of the census will commence in April 2026.

This upcoming census holds particular significance as India officially surpassed China as the world’s most populous nation in mid-2023, according to projections from the UN Population Fund. At that time, India was estimated to have nearly 3 million more people than its neighbor.

Adding another layer of importance, the census will also collect details on citizens’ caste affiliations. This will be the first time caste data has been recorded in an Indian census since 2011, when the information was collected but not publicly released due to concerns regarding its accuracy. The inclusion of caste details is expected to provide valuable insights into the country’s demographic and socio-economic landscape.