Ladakh will begin the second phase of Census 2027 on August 17, 2026, and will be among the first areas to record caste details.
The Census form is likely to have around 40 questions, including an open-ended column for respondents to state their caste.
Ladakh will use paper schedules for some areas because defence structures near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) cannot be geo-tagged due to security concerns.
Self-enumeration will be available from August 17 to 31, followed by house-to-house population enumeration.
The caste data will be collected by recording the caste name as declared by the respondent.
The snow-bound areas of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will conduct enumeration ahead of the rest of India.