India begins world s biggest population count

India will kick off the first phase of its Census 2027 on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. This marks the beginning of the largest population count in the world and the first one to be done digitally. This new approach shows a big change in how data will be gathered, with officials using mobile apps and allowing citizens to enter their own information online. This will be the 16th Census for India and the eighth since it gained independence, but the size and the way it will be done are different this time. The Census will happen in two parts. The first part, called the House Listing and Housing Census, will take place from April to September 2026. During this time, officials will visit people's homes to collect basic information about daily life. They will check the state of houses, what amenities families have, and what possessions they own. Different states and Union Territories will conduct this part over a 30-day period based on their schedules. Before this, there will be a 15-day self-enumeration period where households can enter their own information before officials start their visits. The second part, the Population Enumeration, is set for February 2027. In some areas, like Ladakh, snowy parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and sections of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, this part will take place earlier in September 2026. This second phase will focus on individuals instead of homes. Enumerators will collect detailed data about each person, including their age, education, job, migration history, family background, and overall socio-economic status. The government has also decided to include caste information in this phase. The rollout will differ from place to place. For example, regions like the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi (NDMC and Cantonment areas), Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Sikkim will conduct houselisting from April 16 to May 15. Residents in these areas can enter their details from April 1 to April 15 before the official visits begin.