# Ladakh to lead Census 2027 with open-ended caste enumeration

2026-08-09T19:42:45+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Ladakh will become the first part of independent India to enumerate caste in the Census, beginning August 17. The population enumeration phase, starting in snow-bound areas, will use an open-ended column where respondents declare their caste. The questionnaire covers about 40 parameters. Pre-tests in 16 states since July 6 have also used this method. The 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census, a survey without statutory backing, returned over 46 lakh different caste names, which the centre later called error-ridden. Unlike that survey, the Census 2027 enumeration has legal force. Master trainers in Ladakh have been trained on tentative questions, and paper schedules will be used for defence structures along the Line of Actual Control that cannot be geo-tagged.

## Coverage

- thehindu.com <https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ladakh/census-2027-ladakh-to-lead-caste-enumeration-in-independent-india/article71325361.ece>
- thehindu.com <https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/checkbox-caste-on-the-counting-of-caste-census-2027/article71198212.ece>

Tags: caste enumeration, Census, digital census, Ladakh, open column, Population enumeration
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