India · Census and Population Data
India Census 2027: Timeline, Digital Self-Enumeration and What Data Will Be Collected
India’s 16th national census is under way. It is the first Indian census conducted with digital data-collection tools and the first to offer optional online self-enumeration. The 2011 Census remains the latest completed national population count.
Main sources used on this page: Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India, Ministry of Home Affairs and Press Information Bureau, and the Government of India Census 2027 scheme approval.
Last updated: July 22, 2026
Core Census Indicators
Census 2027 Status: The July 17 national update reported Phase I complete in 29 States and Union Territories. Field enumeration was continuing in Kerala and Nagaland through July 30. Tamil Nadu and Tripura had self-enumeration open through July 31, followed by door-to-door work from August 1 to August 30.
Phase I Rollout Status
Status Reported on July 17, 2026
Number of States and Union Territories in each category identified from the national update.
Source: Ministry of Home Affairs, Press Information Bureau, July 17, 2026. The final category is derived from the three jurisdictions not assigned to a completed or active group in that national release. It does not mean that no local census work was occurring.
State and Union Territory Tracker
The table reproduces the jurisdictions named in the July 17 national status report. Assam, Manipur and West Bengal are marked separately because that release did not place them in its completed or active groups. This label is not a substitute for a local Directorate of Census Operations notice.
| State or Union Territory | Phase I status | Operational note | Status date | Source basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Andhra Pradesh | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Assam | Status not assigned in national release | Not named in the completed or active groups | July 17, 2026 | Derived from PIB national list; check local notice |
| Bihar | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Chandigarh | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Chhattisgarh | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Delhi | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Goa | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Gujarat | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Haryana | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Himachal Pradesh | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Jharkhand | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Karnataka | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Kerala | Field enumeration under way | Door-to-door HLO continuing through July 30, 2026 | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Ladakh | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Lakshadweep | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Madhya Pradesh | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Maharashtra | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Manipur | Status not assigned in national release | Not named in the completed or active groups | July 17, 2026 | Derived from PIB national list; check local notice |
| Meghalaya | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Mizoram | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Nagaland | Field enumeration under way | Door-to-door HLO continuing through July 30, 2026 | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Odisha | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Puducherry | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Punjab | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Rajasthan | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Sikkim | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Tamil Nadu | Self-enumeration open | Online period July 17–31; field enumeration August 1–30, 2026 | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Telangana | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Tripura | Self-enumeration open | Online period July 17–31; field enumeration August 1–30, 2026 | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Uttar Pradesh | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| Uttarakhand | Completed | Reported complete by the national update | July 17, 2026 | PIB national status report |
| West Bengal | Status not assigned in national release | Not named in the completed or active groups | July 17, 2026 | Derived from PIB national list; check local notice |
What the July 17 Status Report Measures
- The count of 29 refers to States and Union Territories that had completed the Houselisting and Housing Census phase.
- Kerala and Nagaland were in door-to-door field enumeration, while Tamil Nadu and Tripura were still in their optional online period.
- These categories describe census operations. They are not population totals and do not indicate that Census 2027 results have been released.
India Census 2027 Timeline
Census 2027 uses different local Phase I windows within a national April–September period. The population count follows later, with separate timing for designated snow-bound areas.
| Date or period | Milestone | Status | Data meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 30, 2025 | Decision to include caste enumeration | Completed | Caste information is scheduled for electronic collection during Phase II. |
| June 16, 2025 | Government intent notified in the Gazette of India | Completed | Formal notification of Census 2027. |
| December 12, 2025 | Union Cabinet approved the Census 2027 scheme | Completed | Confirmed the two-phase design, digital collection and national deployment. |
| January 2026 | Phase I period and HLO questions notified | Completed | The HLO schedule contains 33 notified questions. |
| March 5, 2026 | Four national digital systems introduced | Completed | Digital block creation, mobile field collection, self-enumeration and central monitoring. |
| April 1, 2026 | National Phase I rollout began | Under way by local schedule | Each State or Union Territory uses a notified 30-day field period within April–September 2026. |
| July 17, 2026 | Latest nationwide Phase I status report used on this page | Published | Twenty-nine States/UTs reported complete; four were named in active rollout stages. |
| September 2026 | Population Enumeration in designated snow-bound areas | Scheduled | Applies to Ladakh and notified non-synchronous areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. |
| By September 30, 2026 | End of the notified national Phase I window | Scheduled | Local 30-day HLO periods are placed within the April 1–September 30 window. |
| February 2027 | Population Enumeration across most of India | Scheduled | Individual demographic, social and economic particulars will be recorded. |
| March 1, 2027 | Main census reference date | Scheduled | The census moment is 00:00 hours for most States and Union Territories. |
| Date not announced | Provisional and final result releases | Awaiting official calendar | No publication date should be inferred until ORGI issues a release schedule. |
The Two Census Phases Measure Different Things
Phase I prepares the housing and household base for the later person count. It does not produce the final population of India.
| Stage | Timing | Unit covered | Confirmed subject areas | Question status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase I: Houselisting and Housing Census | Local 30-day periods between April and September 2026 | Buildings, census houses and households | Housing condition, household details, amenities and assets | 33 questions notified |
| Phase II: Population Enumeration | February 2027 for most of India; September 2026 in designated snow-bound areas | Every person within the census coverage rules | Demographic, social, cultural, economic, education, migration, fertility and caste particulars | Final dates and final question wording not yet notified in the sources used here |
What Data Will Be Collected?
The collection scope is more certain for Phase I than for Phase II. Phase I has a notified 33-question schedule. Phase II subject groups have been announced, but the final person-level question set remains pending.
| Data topic | Census phase | Current confirmation level | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing condition | Phase I | Included in notified HLO scope | Physical and occupancy characteristics of census houses. |
| Household details | Phase I | Included in notified HLO scope | Household identification and housing-use information needed for the later person count. |
| Household amenities | Phase I | Included in notified HLO scope | Access to selected household services and facilities. |
| Household assets | Phase I | Included in notified HLO scope | Possession of selected household assets recorded in the HLO schedule. |
| Demographic particulars | Phase II | Announced subject group | Person-level population characteristics; final question wording is pending. |
| Social and cultural particulars | Phase II | Announced subject group | Person-level social and cultural fields; final question wording is pending. |
| Education | Phase II | Announced subject group | Education-related characteristics; final categories are pending. |
| Economic activity | Phase II | Announced subject group | Economic particulars at person level; final categories are pending. |
| Migration | Phase II | Announced subject group | Migration-related particulars; period and classification details await the final schedule. |
| Fertility | Phase II | Announced subject group | Fertility-related particulars; this does not mean a total fertility rate will be available immediately. |
| Caste | Phase II | Electronic collection approved | Caste-related information is scheduled for Phase II; the final questionnaire design remains subject to official notification. |
How Digital Self-Enumeration Works
Self-enumeration is optional and operates on a local timetable. The portal is available for 15 days immediately before a State or Union Territory’s 30-day door-to-door HLO period.
| Step | Action | Operational detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Local online window opens | The official Self-Enumeration Portal becomes available for the notified 15-day local period. |
| 2 | An eligible household respondent enters HLO information | The web service supports Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. |
| 3 | The portal generates a Self-Enumeration ID | The household retains the unique SE ID after successful submission. |
| 4 | The household shares the SE ID with the enumerator | The enumerator uses the ID during the later field visit to confirm and integrate the information. |
| 5 | Households without self-enumeration are visited normally | Door-to-door enumeration remains in place for households that do not use the online option. |
Online submission does not remove the field stage. The official process still includes an enumerator visit. The SE ID allows the submitted household record to be confirmed during that visit.
The Four Digital Census Systems
| System | Primary user | Purpose | Operational note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houselisting Block Creator web application | Charge Officers | Create Houselisting Blocks digitally using satellite imagery | Supports geographic coverage and reduces omission or duplication risk. |
| HLO Mobile Application | Registered enumerators | Collect and upload Houselisting data in the field | Works offline, supports Android and iOS, and operates in 16 regional languages. |
| Self-Enumeration Portal | Eligible household respondents | Submit household information online before field operations | Generates an SE ID for later confirmation by an enumerator. |
| Census Management and Monitoring System Portal | Census officers at several administrative levels | Plan, manage and monitor census operations | Tracks progress, field performance and operational readiness through a central dashboard. |
Census Count and Current Population Estimates Are Different Measures
Until new census results are released, current population reporting for India continues to rely on sources such as UN and World Bank estimates. Those series are not replacements for a completed census count and do not use the same reference date or method.
| Population measure | Reference | Current status | How it should be read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completed national census count | Census 2011 | Latest completed Indian census | Direct census count with official geographic detail for the 2011 reference period. |
| Current mid-year or model estimate | Recent UN and World Bank series | Available before Census 2027 results | A harmonized estimate designed for current reporting and comparison, not a 2027 census count. |
| Census 2027 population count | March 1, 2027 for most of India | Not yet available | The new count can be reported only after Population Enumeration, processing and official release. |
| Population projection | Future scenario years | Available from projection datasets | A scenario-based estimate using assumptions about fertility, mortality and migration, not an observed count. |
Why the New Census Benchmark Matters
- The 2011 Census remains the latest completed direct national count, while recent headline population figures are estimates.
- Census 2027 is intended to restore current village, town, ward, district, State and Union Territory detail after the long interval since 2011.
- Differences between a future census result and an earlier estimate will require checks of reference date, territorial coverage and source method before comparison.
Census 2027 Results Tracker
The government has not announced a complete publication calendar for provisional and final Census 2027 results. The table separates scheduled collection from data releases that remain undated.
| Release area | Current status | What will be added when official data appear |
|---|---|---|
| Provisional national population | Publication date not announced | National total, reference date and provisional-data notice. |
| State and Union Territory totals | Publication date not announced | Population totals, absolute change and percentage change from the comparable 2011 geography. |
| District and local-area tables | Publication date not announced | District, sub-district, town, village and ward data where released. |
| Age and sex structure | Publication date not announced | Detailed age groups, male and female counts, sex ratios and population-pyramid data. |
| Urban and rural population | Publication date not announced | Urban-rural counts, shares and settlement-level changes under the official census classification. |
| Education and economic activity | Publication date not announced | Published tables and definitions from the final Phase II schedule. |
| Migration and fertility | Publication date not announced | Migration and fertility tables with their census reference periods and definitions. |
| Caste data | Collection approved for Phase II; publication calendar not announced | Official table structure, coverage notes and release dates without inferring unpublished categories. |
Data Sources and Methodology
This tracker prioritizes national census notifications and Ministry of Home Affairs releases. Operational status is dated to the latest nationwide release located for this update, July 17, 2026. Local schedules can be newer than the national summary, so a State or Union Territory status should be revised when its Directorate of Census Operations publishes a later notice.
| Source | Release or data year | Used for | Measure type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India | 2025–2026 notifications | Gazette status, Phase I period, official census documentation and historical Census 2011 data availability | Official census notification and data catalog |
| Ministry of Home Affairs digital tools release | March 5, 2026 | Two phases, self-enumeration process, 16 languages, digital systems, reference dates and field deployment | Official operational announcement |
| Ministry of Home Affairs Phase I status release | July 17, 2026 | Twenty-nine completed States/UTs, Kerala and Nagaland field status, Tamil Nadu and Tripura dates, and the 33-question HLO count | Official administrative status |
| Union Cabinet Census 2027 scheme approval | December 12, 2025 | Census sequence, two-phase schedule, digital design and electronic caste collection | Official scheme approval |
| PIB research note on India’s first digital census | April 25, 2026 | Phase descriptions, self-enumeration sequence, digital systems and notice that final Phase II dates and questions were pending | Official explanatory publication |
How Status Labels Are Assigned
- “Completed,” “field enumeration under way” and “self-enumeration open” reproduce categories stated in the July 17 national release.
- Assam, Manipur and West Bengal are labeled “status not assigned in national release” because they are not included in those named groups. The label does not assert that no local operation was occurring.
- No provisional population value, result date or Phase II question has been estimated inside this page.
Methodological Safety Note: Phase I completion must not be read as completion of the population count. Houselisting and Housing Census records housing and household characteristics and prepares the operational base for Phase II. The Census 2027 national population total is not yet available. March 1, 2027 is the main reference date, not a promised publication date. Current UN or World Bank population figures are estimates with different reference dates and methods; they should not be relabeled as Census 2027 results.
India Census 2027 FAQ
Is India Census 2027 already under way?
Yes. Phase I began on April 1, 2026 through State- and Union-Territory-specific schedules. The July 17 national release reported Houselisting and Housing Census complete in 29 States and Union Territories.
When will India’s population be counted?
Population Enumeration is scheduled for February 2027 across most of India. It is scheduled for September 2026 in Ladakh and designated snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Is digital self-enumeration mandatory?
No. It is an optional online service available for a local 15-day period before door-to-door Houselisting work begins.
Does self-enumeration replace the census field visit?
No. A successful online submission generates an SE ID. The household shares that ID with the enumerator during the later field visit so the information can be confirmed and integrated.
What information will Census 2027 collect?
Phase I uses 33 notified questions on housing condition, household details, amenities and assets. Phase II is scheduled to collect demographic, social, cultural, economic, education, migration, fertility and caste particulars. Final Phase II question wording was not yet notified in the official sources used for this update.
When will India Census 2027 results be released?
A full official release calendar has not been announced. The population reference date and enumeration timetable do not establish the date on which provisional or final tables will be published.