India’s next census scheduled for March 2027, will include caste and sub-caste data

After a 16-year gap, India’s next national census is set to begin on March 1, 2027.

Government sources told NDTV that this long-awaited population count will include detailed data on caste and sub-caste groups — a major shift in the scope of the national survey.

In states and union territories affected by heavy snowfall — including Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand — the census will start earlier, from October 2026, to accommodate seasonal challenges.

This upcoming census will be conducted in two phases and marks a significant expansion in data collection. For the first time in decades, it will include questions related to caste identities, a move confirmed by the government on April 30.

The inclusion of caste data fulfills a longstanding demand by opposition parties, particularly in states like Bihar, where caste-based politics play a central role. Bihar, notably, has over 63 percent of its population classified as Extremely Backward or Backward Classes.

India typically carries out its census every 10 years. However, the last census was completed in 2011, and the one scheduled for 2021 had to be postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2027 exercise will therefore be the country’s first official count in over a decade and a half.

Opposition leaders have consistently advocated for the resumption of the census, citing the need for updated demographic and socio-economic data to inform public policy and ensure equitable resource distribution.