India Notifies 40-Question Census 2027 Survey Including Caste Data

The Indian government has officially notified a 40-question survey for the upcoming population enumeration phase of Census 2027, marking the first time since Independence that comprehensive caste data will be collected for all communities. The notification, issued by the Registrar General of India on August 14, 2026, outlines the detailed information to be gathered from every individual as part of the world's largest headcount.

The enumeration in Ladakh and snowbound, non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand is scheduled to begin on September 1, 2026, and conclude by September 30. For the rest of the country, the population enumeration phase will take place in February 2027. The first phase of the census, involving house-listing and housing, is currently underway and is expected to be completed by September 2026.

A key feature of the new questionnaire is the inclusion of a specific question on caste, listed as question number 10. This will ask respondents if they belong to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe and to state their caste. Officials have indicated that the caste will be recorded as declared by the respondent in an open column,...