Tamil Nadu to Launch Population Census on August 1

Chennai: The decennial population census in India is all set to begin in Tamil Nadu with a self-enumeration exercise, official sources said on Wednesday. A 15-day self-enumeration exercise will begin on July 17, 2026, enabling citizens to participate in the census process through digital self-reporting. The Houselisting and Housing Census is scheduled to be conducted in the state from August 1 to 30 this year, sources in the state Public Department said.

The last population census was held in 2011, and the next decennial survey was scheduled in 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the population census exercise was postponed.

Sources from the Directorate of Census Operations, Tamil Nadu, also said that as part of the preparatory arrangements, training programmes were conducted across Tamil Nadu for master trainers, who will train the local authorities.

"The programme marks a significant step towards ensuring the successful and smooth implementation of the first phase of census", a senior official said.

He also said the training programme was conducted to improve accuracy, smooth coordination, and efficient data collection during the census process, which will be conducted in two phases.