Context
The Union Cabinet has approved the scheme for the conduct of the Census of India 2027, marking a significant milestone in India’s administrative and statistical history. The census will be conducted at a cost of ₹11,718.24 crore and will be the first completely digital census in the country, introducing several innovative features and major changes in data collection and dissemination.
Overview of Census 2027
- The 16th national census will be the Census of India 2027, which will be done in two phases:
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- Housing Census: Houselisting April-September 2026.
- Population Enumeration: February 2027 (in snow-bound areas such as Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Population Enumeration will be done in September 2026).
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- This exercise will encompass the whole population and all households in the nation, which will ensure that no demographic and socio-economic data is left out.
Major Features and Innovations
- First Digital Census: Mobile applications will be used to gather data, replacing the paper-based approach. This digital transformation will lead to faster, more precise and accessible data.
- Caste enumeration: It will be the first time since 1931 that caste information will be enumerated electronically at the Population Enumeration stage. This will help in the identification of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) better and inform reservation policies and schemes of welfare.
- Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS): There will be a dedicated online portal through which real-time monitoring of the entire census operation will be implemented, allowing officials to monitor progress and address bottlenecks as they arise.
Implementation Strategy
- Field Operations: The number of field workers who will take part in the census will be about 30 lakh teachers in government schools, supervisors, and other officers working in the district level. Each and every staff member will be given honorariums.
- Public Awareness Campaign: This will be conducted through a nationwide information campaign where advocacy will be taken to ensure the people take part and keep the data submitted correctly and on time.
- Employment Generation: The census is likely to create approximately 10.2 million man-days of employment, which offer short-term employment opportunities to a large number of people.
Benefits and Significance
- Policy Formulation: The information obtained will be digitalized and reachable at the village/ward level, thus making it easier to make better policies, plans, and distribute resources.
- Inclusive Data: The caste data will be included, which will help to understand social difference and conduct specific welfare interventions.
- Transparency and Access: Digital form will render the census data more transparent, accessible, and actionable among the different ministries and stakeholders.
Challenges and Way Forward
- The online census can be problematic in rural and remote regions where the internet connection is low as well as technology illiteracy.
- Privacy and security of sensitive caste information will be essential to ensure that the community stays trustworthy and is not abused with the information.
- Close integration of central and state governments, combined with good preparation of field staff, should be key to a well-coordinated implementation.
The Census of India 2027 will be an innovative move in the data governance in India and will seek to provide more rapid, clean, and inclusive data to the benefit of policy makers, researchers, and the citizens in general.
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Prelims Practice Question
Q. Which of the following statements regarding the Census of India 2027 is/are correct?
- It will be the first completely digital census in India.
- Caste data will be collected electronically for the first time since 1931.
- The Population Enumeration will be conducted in February 2027 for all regions of India.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2, and 3
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