Centre speeds up groundwork for 2026 Census, housing listing to begin in April

Hyderabad: The central government has advanced preparations for the 2026 Census, beginning with an extensive listing of houses and their conditions. This initial phase will precede the main enumeration of the population.

In this first phase, officials will log the number of dwellings along with key physical details. Once that’s complete, the second phase will shift focus to collecting population data. For the first time, the exercise will also include a caste-based count.

The Registrar General of India has announced that house listing operations for the 2026 Census will begin on April 1. This phase will document structural details of every home across the country, including the type of construction, access to drinking water, sanitation, cooking fuel, and electricity supply.

In addition to basic population data, the census will also track household assets such as mobile phones, internet connectivity, bicycles, scooters, cars, and televisions.

For the first time, the entire process will go digital. Enumerators will use mobile apps to collect data, and citizens will have the option to fill out their information online through a self-enumeration portal.

In regions with heavy snowfall such as Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand the housing listing is likely to begin in October 2026.

Information from the listing phase will feed into national planning and development initiatives, according to census authorities.

Before the start of field operations, groundwork will include recruitment of field staff such as supervisors and enumerators, allocation of responsibilities, and coordination with administrative units at the state and district levels. The entire exercise will involve over 34 lakh personnel, including 1.3 lakh designated census workers.

Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, has sent formal communication to Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories detailing the schedule and coordination requirements. He instructed that roles among field staff be finalised ahead of appointments, with support from local administrative machinery.

During the housing listing, officials will document structural and asset details of every household. The second phase will cover data on individuals’ demographic, social, economic, and cultural characteristics.