India, June 16 -- The Central government on Monday issued a gazette notification for the caste census, which will begin in 2027. It will be India's 16th census.

The notification said that the census proceedings will begin on October 1, 2026, in snow-bound areas like Ladakh. For the rest of the country, the mega exercise will begin on March 1, 2027.

"The reference date for the said census shall be 00.00 hours of the 1st day of March, 2027, except for the Union territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand," the notification read, adding for snow-bound states and union territories, the exercise will begin at 00:00 hours of the 1st day...