The Government of India has officially scheduled the first phase of the 2026 Census. Registrar General and Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan has notified all states and union territories that the house listing and housing census operations will commence on April 1, 2026. This will mark India’s 16th national census and the 8th since independence.
The census will be conducted in two phases:
- Phase 1: House Listing Operation (HLO)
Starting April 2026, enumerators will collect data on each household’s physical structure, facilities, and amenities. - Phase 2: Population Enumeration
This phase will begin on February 1, 2027, and will record socio-economic, educational, and cultural details of each individual.
Key Questions in the House Listing Phase
Enumerators will gather data such as:
- Type of building materials used for walls, roofs, and floors
- Number of rooms and residents in the house
- Whether the head of the family is a woman or belongs to a Scheduled Caste/Tribe
- Ownership of items like mobile phones, TVs, internet, vehicles, etc.
- Source of drinking water and type of cooking fuel used
- Availability of toilets, bathrooms, and kitchen facilities
- Source of lighting in the house
Census to Be Fully Digital
In a major shift, Census 2026 will be conducted entirely through digital methods, using a mobile app. Citizens will also have the option to self-enumerate using an online portal.
Manpower for the Census
The government will deploy over 34 lakh enumerators and supervisors, along with 1.3 lakh census officers to conduct the exercise nationwide.
Caste-Based Data to Be Collected
For the first time in decades, caste-based data will be collected, responding to long-standing demands from social organizations and political parties. States have been asked to begin assigning census duties to ensure timely execution of the process.
