A Gazette Notification from the Government of India sets 1st March 2027 as the confirmed reference date for the nationwide census, effectively replacing the earlier, delayed plan for the population count.

Due to winter weather, some snow-bound areas in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand will have an earlier reference date of October 1, 2026.

This official declaration now paves the way for preparations to begin for one of the world's largest and most crucial administrative exercises.