The Government of India has formally announced that the next decennial Census of the country will be conducted in the year 2027, as per an official gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday, June 16. According to the notification, issued under the Census Act, 1948, by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, the reference date for the Census will be 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027.
However, for certain snow-bound and remote regions, the reference date has been adjusted to account for seasonal accessibility issues. This provision ensures that field operations in these geographically challenging and climatically extreme regions can be carried out ahead of the general national schedule when conditions are more favourable.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Census Act, 1948 (37 of 1948), and in supersession of the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs (Office of the Registrar General, India) number S.O. 1455(E), dated the 26th March, 2019 published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, section 3, sub-section (ii), dated the 28th March, 2019, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government hereby declares that a census of the population of India shall be taken during the year 2027,” a notification by Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, Registrar General and Census Commissioner, said.
The notification stated that the reference date for the Census will be March 1, 2027, except for the Union Territory of Ladakh, the snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. “In respect of the Union territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date shall be 00:00 hours of the 1st day of October, 2026,” the notification added.
The 2021 census, originally scheduled for that year, was postponed indefinitely and is now formally replaced by the 2027 enumeration timeline. The latest announcement provides administrative clarity and sets the stage for preparatory activities, including planning, recruitment, training, and logistical arrangements required for conducting what will be the 16th decennial census of India.