After a six-year hiatus, India is poised to resume its decennial census, one of the largest administrative exercises in the world. The Home Ministry has announced that the census will be conducted in two phases, with March 1, 2027, as the nationwide reference date. For Himalayan states and union territories like Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, the reference date will be October 1, 2026.

Initially deferred due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the exercise has faced unexplained delays since, despite the return of normalcy. The last census was conducted in 2011, making this gap the longest since independence.

Significantly, the upcoming census will include the collection of caste data—an unprecedented step since the 1931 enumeration under British rule. Experts view this as a major shift that could reshape welfare schemes and affirmative action policies.

Conducted under the Census Act, 1948, the census provides vital data for governance, planning, and resource allocation. Economists and demographers have raised concerns over the implications of the delay, especially in a country with over 1.4 billion people. As India grapples with questions of identity, development, and equity, the 2027 census could be a defining moment in shaping future policy.