Cabinet Approves ₹11,718.24 Cr Digital Census 2027, Caste Data Included

• Cabinet approved the 2027 Census for India, costing ₹11,718.24 crore.
• The census will be conducted in two phases: house listing (April-September 2026) and population enumeration (February 2027).
• It will be India's first fully digital census, utilizing mobile apps and a Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS).
• Caste data will be collected electronically during the second phase of the census.
• Approximately 30 lakh field staff will be deployed for the census, which is the 16th overall and 8th since independence.

Why It Matters: India's 2027 digital Census will collect vital demographic and caste data for policy.