Census 2027 will determine Ladakh's developmental trajectory, future prospects: Kavinder Gupta

Leh/Jammu: Marking the beginning of the preparations for the 2027 Census in Ladakh, Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta inaugurated the Directorate of Census Operations in Leh on Tuesday and said the exercise will determine the Union Territory's developmental trajectory and future prospects.

The Union Cabinet, on December 12, 2025, approved an outlay of Rs 11,718 crore for conducting the Census 2027, which will include caste enumeration for the first time.

Gupta emphasised the significance of the upcoming Census for Ladakh, stressing that despite the Union Territory's limited population scattered across a vast and challenging geographical expanse, accurate data compilation must be ensured with a focus on transparency and efficiency, as it will directly shape the region's development and future prospects.

The LG made the remarks after inaugurating the Directorate of Census Operations and Citizen Registration at the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums in Leh. In his address, Gupta also congratulated officials on the establishment of the Census office post 2019, following the formation of the Union Territory of Ladakh.

He said the Census, approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, represents a vital step forward after the 2021 exercise was deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlighting longstanding challenges arising from the dependence on the outdated 2011 Census data, Gupta said the new Census would resolve critical issues in planning and resource allocation.

He also drew attention to past "irregularities and malpractices" during Census operations under the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, stressing that the upcoming exercise under the Union Territory framework must set a benchmark.

"This first Census for Ladakh as a Union Territory must be conducted with utmost transparency, reliability and efficiency. There should be no compromise on constitutional mandates," the LG said. Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra highlighted the pioneering digital data collection tools to be utilised in the upcoming Census.

Director of Census Operations and Citizen Registration Amit Sharma informed about the two-phase process -- houselisting and housing census (April to September 2026) and population enumeration (September 2026 for snow-bound areas) -- featuring 100 per cent paperless digital tools, self-enumeration, caste-data capture and deployment of functionaries for rapid, actionable insights.

He said the houselisting and housing Census in Ladakh is expected to be conducted between June 1 and 30.