India's preparation for a census scheduled for March 2027 is already underway. And this one won't be just taking a mere tally of the population, but could also define the country's future policies.
The exercise presents an immense logistical challenge -- voting in the 2024 general elections was electronic, and polling took place in seven phases over six weeks.
But a census must be conducted all at one time to fix a single snapshot of the population -- and avoid any double-counting.
The main count is scheduled to take place on March 1, 2027.
But in high-altitude Himalayan regions -- including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, and the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir -- the census will begin earlier on October 1, 2026, before snowfall begins.
Census 2027 and policy
The upcoming census will be the country's first since 2011 and will, for the first time since independence, register people's castes -- a politically sensitive exercise last undertaken in 1931 under British rule.
Caste remains a powerful determinant of social status in India, shaping access to resources, education, and opportunity.
More than two-thirds of India's 1.4 billion people are believed to belong to historically disadvantaged communities, long subject to systemic discrimination.
The millennia-old social hierarchy divides Hindus by function and social standing.
India's ruling party has in the past opposed the idea of enumerating people by caste, arguing it would deepen social divisions, but backed the new survey in May.
The survey also collects critical demographic data -- like age, education, employment, and family income.
The demographic break-up helps the government identify the needy, and target welfare benefits. Take the National Food Security Act, for instance.
The government provides food grain at subsidised prices through the Public Distribution System. About 75% of the rural population and 50% of urban households are covered under the scheme. That's around 806 million Ration Card holders across the country.
The problem is, the beneficiaries are identified based on the 2011 census.
According to projections by the National Commission on Population, that number would be at 920 million in 2025. That means about 120 million Indians are being denied food security today.
Because without an updated census, we just don't know who to help.
And it's not just food security. A census is crucial for every social justice policy.
Key questions remain.
Education -- are there enough government schools in a particular village? Enough seats in universities for disadvantaged communities?
Employment -- is the government and the private sector creating enough jobs?
Healthcare -- is the state-funded health insurance covering all those in need?
