Himachal gears up for Census: Information on smartphones, computers and staple grains required

March 3, 2026

For the first time, in the 2027 Census, which will begin on May 12th across the state, people will be required to provide information about their smartphones, internet, computers, and laptops. Furthermore, information on the main grains consumed by families will also be included in the census.

Previously, the census only included records related to the population, the number of houses, and their use. Now, additional questions have been included so that they can be used in policymaking.

Training of staff for the census preparations has begun in the Shimla district. Like the rest of the country, the census will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will include 34 questions, including questions about houses, their types, and families. In three districts of the state: Shimla, Kinnaur, and Lahaul-Spiti, along with some areas of Chamba, both phases of the census will be completed this year. The second phase will be completed in the remaining nine districts next year.

The first phase of the census is scheduled to begin on May 12th and will continue until June 11th. Deep Shikha Sharma, Director of the Census Operations Directorate, stated that Census 2027 will be the country’s first digital census.

Questions to be asked:
In the first phase, information will be sought about the building number, house number, primary materials used in flooring, walls, and roofing, the use of the house, its location, household number, total number of family members, head of the family, house ownership status, number of rooms, number of married couples, main source of drinking water and its availability, main source of lighting, accessibility of toilets, type of toilet, sewage drainage, bathing facilities within the premises, kitchen, availability of LPG or PNG gas connections, cooking fuel, radio-transistors, televisions, bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, mopeds, cars, jeeps, or vans. Questions regarding Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs) will also be provided in serial number 13.

However, the administration currently claims that this is not for a caste census. This record only covers the number of houses. It also includes information such as internet access, laptop or computer availability, smartphone or mobile phone availability, staple food items consumed by the family, and mobile number.