Residents in the non-snow-bound areas of the Union Territory will be able to submit their household and individual details online before enumerators begin the population count. Snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir have already undergone a separate enumeration schedule.
The next phase of Census 2027 in Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled to begin in January 2027, with residents in the non-snow-bound areas getting a 15-day window for self-enumeration before the commencement of door-to-door population counting. The exercise will collect demographic, social and economic information from households across the Union Territory.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, the Ministry of Home Affairs, through a notification issued by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner on October 30, has fixed January 10 to 24, 2027, for self-enumeration in the areas covered under the general schedule. The door-to-door population enumeration will take place from January 25 to February 28, followed by a revisional round from March 1 to 5, 2027. The reference date for this exercise will be March 1, 2027.
The January schedule does not cover the entire Union Territory. The snow-bound, non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir were covered under a separate schedule, under which population enumeration was conducted from September 1 to 30, 2026, with a revisional round from October 1 to 5. The reference date for these areas was October 1, 2026. The separate arrangement was made to account for geographical and weather-related conditions in areas where winter can affect access and movement. The August 3 Gazette notification specifies the schedule.
Census 2027 is being conducted in two phases. The first phase, known as the House Listing and Housing Census, involves collecting information about residential buildings, housing conditions, household facilities and assets. The second phase, Population Enumeration, focuses on individual residents and their demographic, social and economic details. The Union Government has also introduced an online self-enumeration facility for the first time in India’s Census exercise, allowing households to submit their information digitally before the door-to-door process. The Ministry of Home Affairs has outlined the two-phase exercise.
During Population Enumeration, enumerators will collect information through a questionnaire covering 40 questions. These include details relating to age, sex, marital status, education, occupation, migration, religion, caste, nationality and other demographic particulars. The exercise will also include questions about Aadhaar and other identity-related details.
The Census exercise will be significant for Jammu and Kashmir, where updated population data will provide an important statistical basis for government planning, public services and development programmes. The last completed Census in India was conducted in 2011, making the upcoming exercise the first national population count in 16 years.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner has published the relevant notifications and schedules through its official Census India 2027 website. The department has also issued clarifications following questions raised during enumerator training in Uttar Pradesh about Aadhaar and caste-related information, as reported by The Hindu on October 30. These questions concern the handling of information during enumeration and do not alter the officially notified schedule for Jammu and Kashmir.
Residents are expected to participate in the exercise and provide accurate information during self-enumeration or when approached by authorised Census enumerators.
The Chenab Times News Desk