Census 2027 to have 40 questions, including details of caste, COVID vaccination, ID proofs
The questionnaire for Census 2027 has been finalised, covering close to 40 questions to be asked of households, including caste details, COVID-19 vaccination status, and identity/ID proof information.
This marks the first time since Independence that caste will be enumerated for the general population, not just for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
The Union Cabinet's decision (April 2025) to include caste enumeration in the census preceded the notification of the finalised question set.
Census 2027 is being conducted in two phases: house-listing and housing census, followed by population enumeration, using a largely digital, mobile-based data collection process for the first time.
Legal and Institutional Basis of the Census — Census Act, 1948
The decennial Census of India is conducted under the Census Act, 1948, by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI), functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Act empowers the central government to notify the questions to be asked and imposes a legal duty on citizens to answer them accurately, with confidentiality protections on individual-level data.
Key Details
- Census 2027 is the 16th census in the series since 1872 and the 8th since Independence.
- It is conducted in two phases: house-listing/housing census (2026) followed by population enumeration (early 2027).
- Individual responses are legally confidential under the Census Act and cannot be used as evidence in courts or for any purpose other than statistical compilation.
- New features for 2027 include an optional self-enumeration facility and near real-time monitoring through a digital Census Management and Monitoring System.
The finalised ~40-question set, including new questions on caste and identity documents, is notified by the central government under the statutory authority of the Census Act, making the responses legally mandatory and confidential.
Caste Enumeration in the Census — Historical and Legal Distinction from SC/ST Data
Every census since 1951 has separately enumerated Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes populations (as constitutionally recognised categories), but caste details for the general population (including Other Backward Classes and general category castes) were last comprehensively recorded in the 1931 Census. Census 2027 restores general caste enumeration for the first time in independent India.
Key Details
- The Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) of 2011 attempted to collect caste data separately but was not conducted under the Census Act, 1948 and lacked the RGI's statistical rigour; its caste data was never officially released due to inconsistencies.
- SC/ST enumeration in the regular census is distinct from general caste enumeration: SC/ST status is a constitutionally defined category (Articles 341 and 342), while OBC/general caste categories are not constitutionally enumerated in the same manner.
- The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs approved the inclusion of caste enumeration in Census 2027 in April 2025.
By including a caste question for all citizens (not just SC/ST) for the first time since 1931, Census 2027 addresses the data gap that the SECC 2011 could not fill due to its lack of statutory backing.
Digitisation of Census Operations
Census 2027 introduces mobile-based data collection, replacing the traditional paper schedules used in previous censuses, along with an optional self-enumeration portal allowing citizens to fill in some details themselves before enumerator verification.
Key Details
- This is described as India's first largely digital census exercise.
- Geo-referencing of enumeration blocks and jurisdictions is being used to improve accuracy over the 2011 Census methodology.
- The house-listing and housing census phase precedes the population enumeration phase, mirroring the structure used in the 2011 Census (also conducted in two phases).
The ~40-question schedule, covering new items like COVID-19 vaccination status and identity/ID proof details, is being administered through this new digital architecture rather than the paper-based approach of Census 2011.
- Census 2027: 16th census since 1872; 8th since Independence.
- Questionnaire: approximately 40 questions, including caste, COVID-19 vaccination status, and ID proof details.
- Last general caste enumeration (beyond SC/ST) in India: the 1931 Census.
- SC/ST are constitutionally defined categories under Articles 341 and 342 respectively.
- Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs approved caste enumeration for Census 2027: April 2025.
- Census governed by the Census Act, 1948; conducted by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Census 2027 conducted in two phases: house-listing/housing census (2026) and population enumeration (early 2027).