The Union Cabinet on December 12, 2025, approved ₹11,718.24 crore for conducting the Census of India 2027, announced by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. This will be India's first fully digital census featuring self-enumeration, mobile apps, geospatial mapping, and real-time monitoring. Significantly, the 2027 Census will include the first nationwide caste enumeration in independent India — a long-standing demand of several political parties. The last caste census was conducted by the British in 1931. The census has been delayed since 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. India's population, as per the 2011 census, was 121.1 crore. The digital census aims to eliminate manual errors and provide more granular socio-economic data for policy planning.
Union Cabinet Approves ₹11,718 Crore for First-Ever Digital Census 2027 with Caste Enumeration
Cabinet approved ₹11,718 crore for Census 2027 — first digital census with caste enumeration since 1931.
Key facts
- Union Cabinet approved ₹11,718.24 crore for Census of India 2027 — India's first fully digital census with self-enumeration, mobile apps, geospatial mapping, and real-time monitoring
- The 2027 Census will include the first nationwide caste enumeration in independent India; the last caste census was conducted by the British in 1931
- Census delayed since 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic; India's population per 2011 census was 121.1 crore
- Digital census aims to eliminate manual errors and provide more granular socio-economic data for policy planning
- Announcement made by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on December 12, 2025
Mains angle
Q: The Union Cabinet approved ₹11,718 crore for India's first digital Census 2027, which will include caste enumeration after nearly a century. Discuss the significance of a digital census for evidence-based policy planning.
Answer (50 words):
On December 12, 2025, the Union Cabinet approved ₹11,718 crore for Census 2027, India's first fully digital census featuring self-enumeration, mobile apps, geospatial mapping and real-time monitoring. It will include the first nationwide caste enumeration in independent India; the previous caste census was conducted by the British in 1931.
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The Marine Fisheries Census 2025 uses which suite of mobile applications developed by CMFRI?
MFC 2025 uses VYAS apps: VyAS-NAV for village validation, VyAS-BHARAT for household enumeration, and VyAS-SUTRA for real-time supervision.
Source: The Hindu
Frequently asked questions
What funding did the Union Cabinet approve for the Census of India 2027?
The Union Cabinet approved ₹11,718.24 crore for conducting the Census of India 2027 on December 12, 2025. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the approval.
Which digital features will make the 2027 census India's first fully digital census?
The 2027 census will feature self-enumeration, mobile apps, geospatial mapping, and real-time monitoring.
Why is caste enumeration significant in the 2027 census?
The 2027 Census will include the first nationwide caste enumeration in independent India, a long-standing demand of several political parties. The last caste census was conducted by the British in 1931.
Why was the census delayed and what data-planning aim does the digital census have?
The census has been delayed since 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital census aims to eliminate manual errors and provide more granular socio-economic data for policy planning.
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