Registrar-General of India issues notification for Census
2027 Digital Census Notification
Timeline:
Reference Date: March 1, 2027 (for most states).
Snow-bound Areas: October 1, 2026 (Ladakh, parts of J&K, Himachal, Uttarakhand).
Administrative Freeze:
States cannot alter boundaries of districts, tehsils, or police stations until Census completion.
Ensures stability of enumeration blocks for accurate data collection.
Digital Transformation:
Mobile apps for data collection; self-enumeration option introduced.
Data Security: Stringent measures for collection, transmission, and storage.
Phases & Workforce:
Two Phases: House Listing → Population Enumeration.
34 lakh enumerators/supervisors + 1.3 lakh officials to be deployed.
NPR Status:
No official update on National Population Register (NPR) linkage yet (unlike 2021 plans).
Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGCCI) -
Established: 1961 (Permanent office; earlier censuses were conducted via temporary setups).
Parent Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
Head: IAS officer (Rank: Additional Secretary). Current: Mritunjay Kumar Narayan.
Headquarters: New Delhi.
Established: 1961 (Permanent office; earlier censuses were conducted via temporary setups).
Parent Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
Head: IAS officer (Rank: Additional Secretary). Current: Mritunjay Kumar Narayan.
Headquarters: New Delhi.
Key Functions
Conducts Decennial Census of India (First in 1872; regular since 1881).
Demographic Surveys:
Collects data on population, literacy, housing, etc.
Manages Linguistic Survey of India.
Administrative Structure:
State-Level: Supervised by Directorates of Census Operations.
Conducts Decennial Census of India (First in 1872; regular since 1881).
Demographic Surveys:
Collects data on population, literacy, housing, etc.
Manages Linguistic Survey of India.
Administrative Structure:
State-Level: Supervised by Directorates of Census Operations.
Historical Context
Pre-1961: Census conducted via temporary administrative setups.
Post-1961: RGCCI made a permanent body to ensure institutional continuity.
Pre-1961: Census conducted via temporary administrative setups.
Post-1961: RGCCI made a permanent body to ensure institutional continuity.
Some facts:
1931 Census (J.H. Hutton)
Conducted first caste-based census in India.
Later authored Caste in India (1946), blending census data with anthropological insights.
1941 & 1951 Censuses
1941 (W.W.M. Yeatts): Last British-era census.
1951 (R.A. Gopalaswami):
Rejected P.C. Mahalanobis’ proposal for sampling methods, citing India’s diversity.
Simplified enumeration slips for better accuracy in a low-literacy population.
1961 Census (Ashok Mitra)
Again resisted Mahalanobis’ sampling push, emphasizing data cross-checks for reliability.
1931 Census (J.H. Hutton)
Conducted first caste-based census in India.
Later authored Caste in India (1946), blending census data with anthropological insights.
1941 & 1951 Censuses
1941 (W.W.M. Yeatts): Last British-era census.
1951 (R.A. Gopalaswami):
Rejected P.C. Mahalanobis’ proposal for sampling methods, citing India’s diversity.
Simplified enumeration slips for better accuracy in a low-literacy population.
1961 Census (Ashok Mitra)
Again resisted Mahalanobis’ sampling push, emphasizing data cross-checks for reliability.