PolityGS2+ GS1

Census 2027 Rescheduled in Poll-Bound States, Deferred Indefinitely in Manipur

The Hindu·2026-09-06· Read original

"Census 2027 Rescheduled in Poll-Bound States, Deferred Indefinitely in Manipur"

Prelims Facts

  • •The Census Act, 1948 is the statutory basis for India's decennial Census; the RG&CCI is the nodal authority.
  • •Article 82 of the Constitution requires delimitation of parliamentary constituencies after every Census.
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Key Terms

Census Act, 1948

Central law governing India's decennial Census; gives the Union government authority over schedule and scope.

RG&CCI

Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India; the nodal authority for conducting the Census.

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Study Note

BackgroundCore Concept

Background

India's decennial Census is the country's most comprehensive demographic exercise. It is conducted by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RG&CCI) under the Census Act, 1948. The Census counts every individual present in India on the reference night, regardless of citizenship or nationality. It is not a citizenship-determination exercise. The data it generates underpins parliamentary delimitation, welfare scheme targeting, fiscal devolution, and development planning.

The last Census was conducted in 2011. The 2021 Census was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has not yet been conducted, making the upcoming Census 2027 the first enumeration in over fifteen years. This gap has significant consequences: welfare scheme targeting, parliamentary delimitation, and fiscal transfers under the Finance Commission all depend on current population data. The Census Act, 1948 gives the Central Government authority to notify the schedule, reference dates, and geographic scope of each Census.

Manipur's three major communities, the Meitei, the Kuki-Zo, and the Naga, have long had overlapping and contested claims over land, political representation, and constitutional protections. Ethnic violence erupted in May 2023, triggered by the Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, which Kuki-Zo communities opposed as a threat to their existing land rights. This conflict has made routine administrative exercises, including the Census, politically charged.

The Topic Explained

Census 2027 is structured in two phases. The first phase is the House Listing and Housing Census (HLO), which collects data on housing conditions and household assets. The second phase is the Population Enumeration, which records individual-level demographic data. The second phase will include 40 questions, up from the 2011 format, with at least 13 new questions covering spouse's name, nationality, parental particulars, digital literacy, permanent residential address, COVID-19 vaccination site, number of bank accounts, passport number, driving licence, and Aadhaar, voter ID, and mobile numbers.

A landmark feature of Census 2027 is the inclusion of caste enumeration beyond Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. This is the first time since Independence that caste, other than SC or ST, will be recorded in the national Census. …

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Related PYQs

2024GS1 Prelims

How many Delimitation Commissions have been constituted by the Government of India till December 2023?

AOne
BTwo
CThree
DFour
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2022GS1 Mains

If a particular area is brought under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which one of the following statements best reflects the consequence of it?

AThis would prevent the transfer of land of tribal people to non-tribal people
BThis would create a local self-governing body in that area
CThis would convert that area into a Union Territory
DThe State having such areas would be declared a Special Category State
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2018GS1 Mains

Discuss whether formation of new states in recent times is beneficial or not for the economy of India.

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Practice MCQs

Polityhard

With reference to Delimitation Commissions in India, consider the following statements:

1.Delimitation Commissions are constituted under Article 82 of the Constitution after each Census.

2.Four Delimitation Commissions have been constituted by the Government of India up to December 2023.

3.The orders of a Delimitation Commission cannot be questioned in any court of law.

4.The last delimitation exercise was based on the 2011 Census data.

Which of the above statements are correct?

A1 and 3 only
B1, 2 and 3 only
C2 and 4 only
D1, 2, 3 and 4
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Polityhard

Consider the following statements regarding the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Census:

1.The Census counts all persons present in India on the reference date, irrespective of their nationality.

2.The NRC was last updated for Assam under a Supreme Court-monitored process following the Assam Accord of 1985.

3.Any state government can initiate a state-specific NRC under the Citizenship Act, 1955.

4.The Census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948, while the NRC is governed by the Citizenship Act, 1955.

Which of the above statements are correct?

A1 and 2 only
B1, 2 and 4 only
C2 and 3 only
D1, 3 and 4 only
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Politymedium

Consider the following statements regarding Census 2027:

1.The Census is conducted under the authority of the Census Act, 1948.

2.Census 2027 will enumerate caste beyond Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for the first time since Independence.

3.The Census counts only citizens of India and excludes persons of foreign nationality.

4.The reference date for the four poll-bound states advanced for early enumeration is January 5, 2027.

How many of the above statements are correct?

AOnly one
BOnly two
COnly three
DAll four
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Politymedium

Census 2027 introduces caste enumeration beyond Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Which of the following statements about this is correct?

AThis will be the first time caste has ever been enumerated in India's Census history.
BCaste beyond SC/ST was last enumerated in the 1931 Census under British India.
CThe Census Act, 1948 explicitly prohibits enumeration of caste other than SC/ST.
DRespondents are legally required to disclose their caste in Census 2027.
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Politymedium

Which of the following correctly matches the constitutional provision with its subject matter?

1.Article 82 — Delimitation of parliamentary constituencies after each Census

2.Article 330 — Reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha

3.Article 243K — State Election Commission for Panchayati Raj elections

4.Article 280 — Finance Commission

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

A1 and 2 only
B1, 2 and 4 only
C2, 3 and 4 only
D1, 2, 3 and 4
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