Census 2027 India: The Registrar General of India, Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, has issued comprehensive directives for the upcoming Census, emphasizing the duties and responsibilities of census enumerators. The guidelines, released a week before India’s largest administrative exercise, require enumerators to ensure complete data collection, even if it necessitates multiple visits to locked premises. Courteous behavior is mandated throughout the process.
Enumerators found neglecting their duties, asking offensive questions, or damaging census documents may face imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of ₹1,000. This directive, reviewed by HT, has been communicated to all states and Union territories, underscoring the importance of adhering to the Census Act of 1948.
Narayan highlighted the necessity for census officers to understand their specific duties under the Act, which includes marking buildings and census houses, carrying identification during field visits, and using a mobile app for data collection. The directive also insists on multiple visits to ensure every household is accounted for.
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced that the 2027 Census will collect data on transgender-headed households, a shift from the 2021 Census classification. The 16th Census, which includes caste enumeration, is set to begin with houselisting operations on April 1, 2026, followed by population enumeration starting February 1, 2027.
As the Census approaches, these stringent measures aim to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the data collection process. The inclusion of transgender data reflects evolving societal norms, and the upcoming phases promise comprehensive demographic insights.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, March 27, 2026
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