Maharashtra census self-enumeration begins; Athawale highlights caste census benefits
Synopsis
Maharashtra launched the self-enumeration phase of India's 2027 Census on Maharashtra Day, with Union Minister Ramdas Athawale spotlighting the landmark inclusion of all castes — not just SCs and STs — for the first time. The eighth post-Independence census will also be India's first fully digital headcount.
Key Takeaways
Maharashtra launched the 2027 Census self-enumeration phase on 1 May 2026 , coinciding with Maharashtra Day .
Self-enumeration runs from 1–15 May 2026 ; door-to-door house listing follows from 16 May to 14 June 2026 .
For the first time, caste data will be collected for all religions and castes , not just Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said the caste census will help the government identify employment, poverty, and housing gaps across every caste.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed only Indian residents can participate; foreign nationals including Bangladeshis are excluded.
This is India's eighth post-Independence census and the first to be conducted digitally .
The self-enumeration phase of India's 2027 Census officially commenced in Maharashtra on 1 May 2026 — coinciding with the state's Maharashtra Day — as Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale underscored the significance of including caste data in the upcoming national headcount for the first time beyond Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Self-Enumeration Phase: Key Dates and Process
The self-enumeration window runs from 1 May to 15 May 2026, during which citizens can register their details independently through the designated census portal. This will be followed by the House Listing and Housing Census from 16 May to 14 June 2026, when enumerators will conduct door-to-door visits across the state. Caste-specific data will be captured in the subsequent second phase — the Population Enumeration stage. Notably, this marks the eighth census of independent India, and the first to be conducted entirely digitally, according to Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
What Athawale Said on the Caste Census
Speaking to IANS, Athawale said,
Point of View
But the real test will be in data quality and utilisation. Past censuses captured SC/ST numbers with reasonable reliability; extending that granularity to hundreds of OBC and general-category sub-groups is a far more complex exercise. Without a robust methodology to prevent self-reporting errors and political inflation of caste numbers, the data risks being contested before it is even published. The coincidence of the Maharashtra launch with Maharashtra Day is clearly deliberate optics — but the harder work of building public trust in the process has only just begun.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the 2027 Census self-enumeration begin in Maharashtra?
The self-enumeration phase began on 1 May 2026, coinciding with Maharashtra Day. It will run until 15 May 2026, after which enumerators will conduct door-to-door house listing visits from 16 May to 14 June 2026.
What is new about the caste census in 2027?
For the first time, caste data will be collected for all religions and castes — not just Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as in previous censuses. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said this will help the government understand employment, poverty, and housing gaps across every caste group.
Who can participate in the 2027 Census in Maharashtra?
Only residents of India are eligible to participate. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed that foreign nationals, including Bangladeshi nationals, will not be allowed to take part in the exercise.
Is the 2027 Census being conducted digitally?
Yes. This is the eighth census of independent India and the first to be conducted entirely digitally, as announced by Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule at a press conference.
What benefits does Ramdas Athawale say the caste census will bring?
Athawale said the caste census will reveal the population percentage of each caste, along with data on employment, farming, poverty, and housing status. He argued this will enable the government to direct targeted welfare schemes to each caste group.
