Raipur
Manoj Kumar Pingua, Additional Chief Secretary, has been appointed as the nodal officer for census activities in Chhattisgarh. This appointment comes as India prepares for its 16th national census in 2027, which will also mark the first caste census since independence.
Ansika Rishi Pandey, Deputy Secretary of the General Administration Department, issued the order, stating that the central government will conduct the census in 2027 under Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948. Population enumeration is set to begin on February 1, 2027.
Leaked caste census report for Chhattisgarh
Before the official census, a leaked report sheds light on Chhattisgarh’s caste-wise population. This report, which circulated on social media, is based on a quantifiable report commissioned during the Congress government’s tenure in Chhattisgarh to assess caste-wise population data. While the report was not officially released, its contents were leaked.
According to the leaked report, the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community has the largest population in Chhattisgarh, with the Sahu community being the most numerous, followed by Yadavs. The report also details the numbers for various other castes and the expenditure incurred in preparing the quantifiable report.
National Census in 2027
The national census will be conducted in two phases. In Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the census will begin on October 1, 2026. The rest of the country will follow in 2027.
The first phase, known as the House-listing Operation, will collect information on the residential status, property, and amenities of every household.
The central government has directed all departments to implement any proposed changes in the boundaries of municipal corporations, revenue villages, tehsils, sub-divisions, or districts by December 31, 2025. This upcoming census will be the 16th overall and the 8th since India’s independence.
This census will be conducted after a gap of 16 years, with the previous one being held in 2011. Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, stated that the listing of houses, appointment of supervisors and enumerators, and work distribution will begin on April 1, 2026.
