Study OAS · 15 December 2025

Union Cabinet Approves Census of India 2027

What’s the News?

The Union Cabinet has approved the conduct of the Census of India, 2027, India’s next decennial population census.
The exercise will be conducted in two phases, with large-scale digital integration for data collection.
The total approved financial outlay for the census operations is ₹11,718 crore, covering field operations, digital infrastructure, and manpower.

Decennial Exercise:
- Conducted once every 10 years under the Census Act, 1948.
Two-Phase Structure:
- House Listing & Housing Census (HLH):
  - Collection of data on housing conditions, household assets, and amenities.
- Population Enumeration (PE):
  - Collection of individual-level demographic, social, and economic data.
Digital-First Census:
- Use of mobile applications and digital devices by enumerators.
- Provision for self-enumeration by citizens.
Improved Data Security:
- Enhanced protocols for data confidentiality and cyber security.

First Census After a Long Gap:
- The previous census was conducted in 2011, making this a critical update for demographic data.
Policy & Planning Backbone:
- Census data underpins:
  - Welfare scheme targeting
  - Fiscal devolution
  - Infrastructure planning
  - Health and education policy
Urbanisation & Migration Insights:
- Updated data on internal migration, urban growth, and household composition.
Technology Integration:
- Marks a shift from paper-based enumeration to digitally driven governance.

Approved Outlay: ₹11,718 crore
- Covers training of enumerators, IT systems, field logistics, and data processing.
Nodal Authority:
- Conducted by the Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India (ORGI) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Manpower Deployment:
- Involves millions of enumerators and supervisors, largely drawn from state government staff.

Census Act, 1948:
- Provides statutory backing for conducting the census and mandates public cooperation.
Union List:
- Census is a Union subject, enabling uniform data collection across states.
Delimitation & Representation:
- Census data forms the base for:
  - Delimitation of constituencies
  - Reservation of seats for SCs and STs.

Delimitation Linkage:
- Future delimitation of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies is contingent on updated census data.
Data Usage:
- Census data is used by bodies such as:
  - Finance Commission
  - NITI Aayog
  - Election Commission of India
Global Practice:
- Census exercises align with UN-recommended population data standards for comparability.