India
oi-Swastika Sruti
After 16 years, the government has announced the schedule for the upcoming population census, which will be conducted across the country from January 25 to February 28, 2027. However, the exercise will not take place during this period in poll-bound states and snow-bound regions due to administrative and weather-related challenges.
The 2027 national population census is scheduled nationwide from January 25 to February 28, with a self-enumeration facility available Jan 10-24; March 1, 2027, is the reference date. Poll-bound states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur, Goa, and Uttarakhand are excluded.
According to the government’s announcement, the census will be conducted in two stages, with citizens also getting an option to provide their details through a self-enumeration facility before the house-to-house counting begins.
The government has fixed midnight of March 1, 2027, as the reference date for the population census. This means the population count will be determined based on the information and circumstances recorded as of 00:00 hours on that date.
News Alert! Population census will be conducted across the country, except in snow-bound and poll-bound states, from January 25-February 28, 2027: Govt. https://t.co/1bh7fFsvPz
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 30, 2026
When Will Population Census 2027 Be Conducted?
The census operation for the population census will be held between January 25, 2027 and February 28, 2027 in all parts of the country except those which have polls and snow-bound regions.
The officials conducting the census operation will be collecting all population related data from households for updating the country’s population.
The reference date for the population census has been decided as 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027.
Self-Enumeration Facility From January 10
In addition to this, the government has made available an alternative means through which citizens can carry out the census process in their own time.
This will be from the 10th to 24th of January 2027. During this period, individuals would be able to fill in their details on their own.
Which States Will Be Excluded From the January-February Census Schedule?
The census will not be conducted during the announced period in five poll-bound states: Manipur, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand.
A Gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs reads, “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Census Act, 1948 (37 of 1948) read with rules 6A and 6D of the Census Rules, 1990, the Central Government hereby declares that in all States and Union territories of India except the State of Manipur (till further declaration), the States of Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, the Union territory of Ladakh and the snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the State of Himachal Pradesh and the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir…”
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 30, 2026
The government has also excluded snow-bound areas of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir from this schedule.
The decision takes into account the challenges of conducting a large-scale population exercise in areas facing election-related administrative requirements and difficult winter weather conditions.
The government has not specified an alternative census schedule for these excluded states and regions in the announcement.
March 1, 2027, Fixed As Census Reference Date
The government has selected 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027, as the reference point for the population census.
A reference date is important because it provides a fixed point in time for counting the population. It helps ensure that population details are recorded using the same benchmark rather than different dates across the country.
The census will provide updated population information that can help the government plan public services, infrastructure and welfare programmes.
