Punjab Census 2026 schedule announced: Phase 1 to begin on May 15; Watch Video
65,000 staff to be deployed
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, March 20, 2026: Preparations for the 2026 Census in Punjab and Chandigarh have been finalized, with the first phase set to start on 15 May and continue until 13 June, officials said. Dr. Navjot Khosa, Director of Census, shared the details during an interaction with editor Baljit Balli of Babushahi.
During this 30-day period, enumerators will visit households across Punjab to collect data. The entire census process in the state is scheduled over four months and will be overseen by a high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary.
Phase 1: House Listing
The first phase will focus on house listing, gathering information on household structure, number of rooms, type of roof and walls (pucca or kutcha), and number of family members.
Phase 2: Population Enumeration
The second phase will involve around 34 questions, with officials indicating that caste-based data may also be collected this time.
Workforce and Training
Approximately 65,000 government employees will be deployed for the census in Punjab, all of whom are regular state or local authority staff. Training for these employees will begin shortly. In Chandigarh, the census will take place from 1 May to 30 May 2026.
Data Security and Transparency
Addressing concerns about misuse of data, Dr. Khosa assured that all information collected will be kept strictly confidential and processed in an anonymized manner. A real-time monitoring system will ensure cross-checking of data, and alerts will be issued immediately if any discrepancies arise. Census staff will also receive appropriate honorarium for their work.
What Will Be Asked
The census will focus only on residential status and family composition (headcount). No detailed questions about land or private property will be asked, except whether the house is owned or rented.