NationalFriday, 14 August 2026·The Hindu - National
Census 2027: 40-question household schedule to record caste, Aadhaar, voter ID and Covid vaccination details
The Union Government notified 40 census questions on 14 August 2026, including caste, Aadhaar, voter ID and Covid-19 vaccination details.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In August 2026, the Union Government notified 40 questions for Census 2027 under the Census Act, 1948, and for the first time in Independent India the Population Enumeration will record caste in an open column, along with Aadhaar, voter ID and Covid-19 vaccination details where available.
Key specifics
- Question No. 10 in the schedule reads “Scheduled Caste (SC)/ Scheduled Tribe (ST)/Caste”.
- The notification was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Census Act, 1948.
- The second phase begins on 17 August 2026 in Ladakh and snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
- The full Census of India 2027 exercise is scheduled for February 2027 in the rest of the country.
- The questionnaire includes Aadhaar number, mobile number, voter ID, bank account, passport number and driving licence details, where applicable.
Exam lens
Polity and governance MCQ focus: Census Act, 1948, open-column caste enumeration, 40 questions, 17 August 2026 pre-phase start, February 2027 nationwide phase — a likely TNPSC one-liner on India’s first caste enumeration in Independent India.