Syllabus
GS 1: Population and associated issues
Context: The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that the Population Census-2027 will be conducted in two phases, with the inclusion of caste enumeration, marking a significant step in India’s decennial census process.
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- A notification indicating the intent to conduct the Population Census is expected to be published in the official gazette on 16th June 2025, as per Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990.
- The census conducted in 2011, was also held in two phases: Phase I (House Listing) from April 1 to September 30, 2010, and Phase II (Population Enumeration) from February 9 to February 28, 2011, with a reference date of March 1, 2011.
The Phases for 2027 census:
- Phase 1: Begins October 1, 2026
- Coverage: Hilly and snow-affected regions:
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Himachal Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- Ladakh
- Phase 2: Begins March 1, 2027
- Coverage: All other parts of the country
- The government has not announced any plans to update the National Population Register (NPR) during this Census.
- NPR is a database of 119 crore residents, was scheduled to be updated in 2021.
- The first synchronous census in India was held in 1881. Since then, censuses have been undertaken uninterruptedly once every 10 years.
- However, this will be the first census since 1931 to collect granular caste data, beyond Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
Digital Census and Enumerator Training
- India will use digital tools and mobile apps for the first time.
- Around 30 lakh enumerators, mostly government school teachers, will be retrained.
- Census will cover 24 lakh enumeration blocks (originally prepared for Census 2021).
- A new drop-down box for caste enumeration will be added next to SC/ST categories in the mobile app.
- Citizens may be allowed to self-enumerate via an online portal.
Delimitation of Constituencies
- As per the 84th Constitutional Amendment Act (2001):
- The first census after 2026 will serve as the basis for redrawing Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats.
- The current allocation is based on 1971 census data.
Significance of the Population Census
- Policy Formulation and Planning: Census helps governments design targeted policies in health, education, housing, employment, and welfare.
- Delimitation of Constituencies: Census figures determine the redrawing of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies.
- Social Justice and Inclusion: The inclusion of caste data in Census 2027 will help in identifying socio-economic disparities.
- Benchmark for Other Surveys: It can act as the foundation for all demographic, economic, and social surveys