Modi Cabinet clears ₹11,718 Cr for world's biggest 2027 Census, includes caste data

• India's next census, approved by the Modi Cabinet with Rs 11,718 crore, is scheduled for 2027 and will be the world's largest headcount.
• The Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases: house listing from April-September 2026 and population enumeration starting February 2027.
• This will be India's first census to digitally capture caste details and will utilize mobile applications for data collection.
• Special arrangements include a dedicated 'Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS)' portal and 'Houselisting Block (HLB) Creator' web map.
• Data will cover housing, demography, religion, SC/ST status, language, literacy, economic activity, migration, and fertility.

Why It Matters: India's next digital census will collect crucial caste data, impacting future policies.