New Delhi, March 31 -- The first phase of Census 2027 will begin today in what will be the largest such exercise in the world and it will be conducted digitally for the first time.

It is India's 16th Census and eighth after Independence. For the first time, the option of self-enumeration will also be available.

The reference date of Census 2027 is 00:00 hours of March 1, 2027, (for UT of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and States of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh reference date is 00:00 hours of 1st October, 2026).

Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases - Phase I-House Listing and Housing Census popularly known as HLO during six months from April to September, 2026 in a period of 30 days as...