The Census of India 2027 will mark a historic shift as the country’s first fully digital Census, with nearly 34 lakh enumerators collecting data through their own smartphones. The dedicated mobile applications, supporting multiple regional languages on Android and iOS, will directly upload data to central servers, ensuring faster and more accurate results.
The Census will take place in two phases: houselisting from April–September 2026, followed by population enumeration in February 2027 (with some Himalayan states starting earlier in September 2026). Citizens will also have the option of self-enumeration via a web portal.
For the first time, all buildings will be geo-tagged using Digital Layout Mapping (DLM) on GIS maps, assigning unique coordinates to each structure. This innovation will improve accuracy, spatial analysis, and policymaking.
The Registrar General of India (RGI) will oversee the process through a real-time monitoring website, with a budget allocation of ₹14,618.95 crore. Unlike earlier exercises, this Census reduces hardware costs by allowing enumerators to use their personal devices, making it India’s most modern and efficient data collection exercise to date.
