Last Updated:January 08, 2026, 17:48 IST The upcoming census will introduce several new features, including digital data collection, a self-enumeration option, a dedicated mobile application, and caste-related data The objective of the first phase of Census is to prepare a comprehensive and accurate frame of all residential and non-residential structures in the country. (AP) On January 7, 2026, the Centre issued the notification for the next Census of India, formally setting the process in motion after a prolonged delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The census will be conducted in two phases, beginning with the house listing and housing census from April 1, 2026. The exercise will be carried out by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Apart from conducting the decennial census, the office is responsible for planning, training, data collection, processing, and publication. The current Registrar General and Census Commissioner is Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan. The office has existed as a permanent institution since the 1950s and works closely with state-level census …