Guwahati: Authorities in Assam have begun laying the groundwork for the nationwide census scheduled to start in March 2027. Officials project a significant increase in the state’s population by the time the enumeration begins.
India last conducted a census in 2011, and the 2021 operation was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Assam Tribune reported.
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The central government has now set March 2027 as the official start of the next census and expects to complete the process in about two years.
During the 2011 census, Assam recorded a population of around 3.12 crore. By 2015, approximately 3.29 crore individuals had applied for inclusion in the National Register of Citizens (NRC), although the authorities rejected about 10 lakh applications due to insufficient citizenship documentation.
According to projections from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Assam’s population stood at an estimated 3.62 crore in 2024.
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With ongoing growth trends, officials anticipate that number will rise considerably by the time enumeration begins.
State officials confirmed to The Assam Tribune that preparations are well underway. Senior census officers and state directors will meet in New Delhi on July 4 and 5 to finalize procedures for the large-scale operation.
Although officials have not yet determined the final manpower numbers for Assam, they expect the process will require a substantial workforce for door-to-door data collection.
As a first step, authorities plan to define enumeration blocks based on population density and terrain.
In urban areas, a single enumerator can cover more households, while rural or difficult terrain may require more personnel per block.
Officials also plan to train the census staff once the block mapping is complete. Only after completing training and planning will they begin the actual data collection.
The introduction of a digital app for enumerators is expected to speed up the census process this time.
The app will allow officials to upload data immediately from the field.
In areas with poor mobile connectivity, staff will record information manually and upload it once they reach a network-enabled location.
For the first time, the upcoming census will also include a caste enumeration. Previously, the census collected information on religion but excluded caste data.
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