“For the conduct of the Census, there shall be an option for self- enumeration from August 17, 2026 to August 31, 2026 just before the start of house-to-house population enumeration. The reference date for the Census in Ladakh and J&K, HP and Uttarakhand shall be the first day of October 2026,” the order stated. RGI had earlier notified the second phase of Census in June this year. The last Census of India was conducted in 2011 in two phases. Census 2027 will have enumeration of castes. For J&K, Uttarakhand and HP, Census in 2011, was conducted from September 11-30, 2010 with reference date as the first day of October 2010.
Over the past three months, during the first phase of the Census 2027 exercise, house-listing operations (HLO) have been carried out across 19 states and five UTs, according to officials. Census 2027 is being conducted using digital tools for the first time while retaining the door-to-door enumeration process to ensure comprehensive and accurate coverage. During field visits, enumerators are collecting data digitally through a dedicated mobile application, according to officials.
