India Begins Census 2027 Population Enumeration in Snow Bound Regions

The population enumeration phase of Census 2027 began on August 17 with self enumeration in Ladakh and the snow bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. This early phase will continue until September 30, while the rest of the country will undergo the exercise in February 2027. Residents in these remote regions can provide their details online before census enumerators begin a door to door verification exercise using a mobile application on September 1.

The census will utilize a questionnaire consisting of 40 questions. This includes 13 new data fields not present in the 2011 census, such as parental particulars, digital literacy, and the number of bank accounts. The questionnaire also requests government issued identity documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, driving licenses, and passports, provided they are available. Notably, the process includes a query on caste.

Officials emphasize the logistical challenges of the operation, which includes reaching high altitude villages like Hanle in Ladakh and Komik in Himachal Pradesh. In Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the exercise is described as significant for providing the first comprehensive demographic picture of the region following the abrogation of Article 370 and the establishment of Ladakh as a Union Territory.

Reporting on the new data requirements differs by political lean. A center left source focuses on the privacy aspect, quoting officials who state that no private or confidential data is being sought and that the requested identity documents are government issued. Conversely, a center right source frames the inclusion of the caste query as a landmark event, noting it is the first time such a query has been included since Independence.