World’s largest census to be begin from 1st April 2026

Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Shri Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, addressed a Press Conference on Census-2027, in New Delhi today. The World’s largest census to be conducted in two phases, first phase to begin from 1st April 2026. For the first time, the Census will be conducted digitally, and for the first time, the option of Self-Enumeration will also be available. Self-enumeration from 1st to 15th April and House Listing and Housing Census from 16th April to 15th May 2026 to be conducted in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, NDMC and Delhi Cantonment Board, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Sikkim.

Census of India is conducted under provisions of Census Act, 1948, Census Rules, 1990 as amended from time to time. The last Census of India was conducted in 2011. Census 2027 will be 16th in series and 8th since independence.

The intent of the Government to conduct Population Census 2027 has been notified in Gazette of India on 16th June, 2025. The reference date of Census 2027 is 00:00 hours of 1st March, 2027, (for UT of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and States of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh reference date is 00:00 hours of 1st October, 2026).

States namely Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi (New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Cantonment Board), Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Sikkim will do the Houselisting and Housing Census during 16th April to 15th May, 2026, along with period of 15 Self enumeration from 1st April to 15th April, 2026. Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana will start Houselisting Census from 1st May to 30th May with period of self-Enumeration from 16th April to 30th April, 2026. Detail state/UT wise period of first phase along with Self-Enumeration is attached at Annex.(UPDATED ON 30TH MARCH 2026)