After 14 Years, J&K Awaits the Count
Census to Record a Region Reshaped by Change, Transition
First population exercise since 2011 & the first after the abrogation of Article 370, the long-delayed Census is set to provide a comprehensive demographic picture
Our Special Correspondent
Srinagar: After fourteen years, Jammu and Kashmir is preparing for the return of the Census, a nationwide exercise that officials describe as one of the most consequential administrative undertakings for the Union Territory in recent times.
The last Census in J&K was held in 2011, and since then the region has undergone sweeping political, administrative and social changes, making the upcoming enumeration far more than a routine statistical exercise.
The forthcoming Census will be the first to be conducted after the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the erstwhile state into a Union Territory. Officials say this alone gives the exercise exceptional importance, as it will provide the first authentic and comprehensive demographic snapshot of J&K in its new administrative and political context.
Senior officials said the Census will begin once the Government of India issues a formal notification, after which preparations in the Union Territory will gather pace. The exercise will follow the national pattern and will be conducted in two phases.
The first phase, known as the House Listing and Housing Census, will focus on recording details of residential structures, housing conditions and access to basic amenities such as drinking water, sanitation, electricity and other facilities. The second phase, the Population Enumeration, will involve counting every individual and collecting detailed demographic and socio-economic information, including age, education, occupation and other key indicators.
“This census will fill a major data gap that has existed for more than a decade,” a senior official in the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department said. “Since 2011, Jammu and Kashmir has seen rapid urbanisation, migration, administrative restructuring and changes in livelihood patterns. Reliable data is essential to understand these shifts and respond to them effectively.”
Officials said the upcoming Census will be largely technology-driven, with enumerators using mobile applications and handheld devices to collect data, a move aimed at improving accuracy, reducing errors and speeding up the process. At the same time, the administration is conscious of the unique geographical and climatic challenges of J&K, particularly in remote, border and high-altitude areas.
“Digital tools will be central to the exercise, but flexibility will be ensured,” an official associated with census operations said. “In areas with poor connectivity or difficult terrain, alternative arrangements will be made so that no household is missed.”
According to officials, preparatory work such as updating village, ward and municipal boundaries, mapping households, identifying manpower and training enumerators will begin soon after the notification is issued.
Government employees, including teachers and field-level staff, are expected to be deployed for enumeration duties, as has been the practice in previous censuses. Special emphasis will be placed on covering nomadic and migratory populations, as well as far-flung villages along the Line of Control and in mountainous regions.
“Our aim is complete coverage,” a senior revenue department officer said. “Every individual matters in a census. Reaching the last household, no matter how remote, will be a priority.”
Beyond its administrative dimensions, the Census is expected to have far-reaching implications for governance and policy-making in Jammu and Kashmir. The data generated will form the backbone of future welfare schemes, infrastructure development, health and education planning, housing projects and employment initiatives. It is also likely to influence future decisions related to delimitation, reservation and allocation of resources.
Experts say the exercise will help policymakers better understand population distribution, migration trends, urban growth and regional disparities, enabling more targeted and equitable development interventions.
“You cannot plan roads, hospitals, schools or jobs without knowing how many people you have and where they live,” an economist associated with a government advisory body said. “For Jammu and Kashmir, this census will shape policy choices for at least the next decade.”
As Jammu and Kashmir prepares for this long-awaited count, the Census is being widely viewed as a step towards restoring data-driven governance in a region that has experienced prolonged political uncertainty and transition. While the exercise itself may unfold quietly, officials and observers agree that its impact will resonate across institutions, policies and everyday life in the Union Territory for years to come.
