The upcoming Census 2027 represents a transformative step for India, ushering in the country’s first fully digital census after a prolonged six-year gap. The government has announced a comprehensive plan, including a pre-test phase from November 10-30, 2025, to iron out operational and technical aspects. This trial will span various states and union territories, testing new mobile applications and survey techniques. A key highlight is the introduction of self-enumeration, enabling citizens to submit their data online via a dedicated portal from November 1-7, 2025, leveraging amendments to the Census Act. This digital approach aims to reduce errors and expedite the data processing. For the first time, caste data will be collected at a national level, and all residential and non-residential buildings will be geotagged using advanced Digital Layout Mapping (DLM) technology integrated with GIS. The Census will be conducted in two stages: Housing Listing from April to September 2026, and Population Enumeration in February 2027, with early starts in specific northern and eastern regions. The extended period between censuses has been utilized to develop these modern, digital capabilities for a more accurate count.
