New Delhi
The Government of India has officially announced that the first phase of the 2026 Census—Houselisting Operations—will begin on April 1, 2026. This was conveyed in a letter addressed to Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories by Census Commissioner and Registrar General of India, Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan.
This marks the commencement of the 16th decennial Census and the eighth since independence. The two-phase exercise will begin with collecting data on housing conditions, assets, and amenities in every household. The second phase, Population Enumeration, will commence on February 1, 2027, and will gather detailed demographic, socio-economic, and cultural data of every individual.
Preparations will include the appointment of over 34 lakh enumerators and supervisors, along with 1.3 lakh Census functionaries. For the first time, the Census will be conducted digitally using a dedicated mobile application. A self-enumeration option will also be provided to citizens.
The Centre has instructed states and UTs to freeze administrative boundaries by December 31, 2025. No changes will be permitted between January 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027, to avoid overlaps or omissions during data collection. All changes must be reported to the Census Directorates and Registrar General by the deadline.
Questions in the Houselisting phase will cover ownership of assets, construction material of homes, access to utilities, and basic living conditions. The exercise also includes caste enumeration. This massive undertaking aims to provide updated data critical for policy planning, social welfare schemes, and economic development.