Ladakh will become the first region in independent India to conduct a caste enumeration as part of the 2027 Census. Officials will implement an open-ended column for caste declaration, a method previously tested across 16 states and union territories. Due to security restrictions on geo-tagging near sensitive border defence structures, Ladakh will collect this data using paper schedules rather than the digital format planned for the rest of the country.
The enumeration process for Ladakh, alongside snow-bound areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, is slated for September 1 to September 30, 2026, with a self-enumeration window opening from August 17 to August 31. Master trainers have already finished a three-day program focused on demographic data collection and mobile application usage.
While the final questionnaire awaits formal notification, it is expected to feature approximately 40 parameters. This initiative aims to improve upon the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census by standardizing collection procedures while retaining the open-column format for caste identification.
