The Government of India has announced the next major schedule for Census 2027, setting January 25 to February 28, 2027, as the period for population enumeration across most parts of the country.
The notification was issued on October 30, 2026, by the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
Under the announced schedule, residents will have the option of completing self-enumeration between January 10 and January 24, 2027, before the commencement of the house-to-house population count.
A revisional round will subsequently be conducted from March 1 to March 5, 2027, to address relevant enumeration-related requirements.
The government has fixed midnight of March 1, 2027, as the reference date for the population enumeration covered by this notification.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Census data plays an important role in understanding population distribution, household conditions and demographic changes. Government departments use population information to support decisions concerning schools, hospitals, public infrastructure, housing, transport and social welfare programmes. The self-enumeration facility may also provide an additional option for eligible residents to participate in the process before the house-to-house exercise begins. The accuracy and completeness of the Census will be important for future planning and evidence-based policymaking.
The schedule does not apply uniformly to every part of the country. Separate arrangements have been notified for Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and non-snow-bound areas of Uttarakhand, where the population enumeration will take place earlier because of the upcoming election schedule.
In these areas, self-enumeration is scheduled from November 16 to November 30, 2026, followed by house-to-house enumeration from December 1, 2026, to January 4, 2027.
Manipur remains subject to a separate arrangement until further notification. Ladakh and designated snow-bound areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are also excluded from the January–February schedule.
The latest announcement provides a clearer timeline for the next stage of the national population count.
