India’s next national census is scheduled to begin on March 1, 2027, according to government officials. For the first time since 1931, this census will include the collection of caste data alongside population counts. The process will start earlier, in October 2026, for regions like Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand due to weather conditions.
The last census was conducted in 2011, with the 2021 exercise postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to include caste enumeration follows demands from opposition parties, who argue it’s necessary for effective policymaking and addressing social inequalities. Previously, only Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) data were collected in post-independence censuses.
The full census process is expected to take about three years, with final data likely published around 2030. This timeline suggests that any potential delimitation of constituencies based on this census would occur after the 2029 general elections.