- The News: The government has officially notified the first phase (Houselisting) starting in April 2026, with the final population count in February 2027.
- Background Data:
- Digital Census: For the first time, data will be collected via a mobile app with a self-enumeration option.
- Caste Enumeration: The 2027 Census will include a count of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and other castes, a first since the 1931 colonial census.
- Significance: It will form the basis for the next Delimitation exercise (redrawing Lok Sabha constituencies), which has been frozen since 1976.
- Constitutional provisions (Art 82, 246), the role of the Registrar General, and the socio-political implications of caste data.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
