Census to be held in two phases on October 1, 2026 and March 1, 2027: Centre issues gazette notification
The Government of India has officially notified that the next Census will be conducted in 2027, with the reference date set as March 1, 2027 for most parts of the country. The notification, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, supersedes the earlier 2019 order that had laid the groundwork for the
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.
Different reference dates for Himalayan and snow-bound areas
For the Union Territory of Ladakh, as well as the snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date for the Census will be 00:00 hours on October 1, 2026.
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.
Supersedes previous notification
The new notification also supersedes the previous one issued on March 26, 2019 (S.O. 1455(E)), which had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated logistical challenges. 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.
See full notification here: