The Census is also likely to collect passport numbers (where available) and Aadhaar numbers voluntarily.

NEW DELHI: The population enumeration phase of Census 2027, which will capture caste for the first time since 1931, and most likely also record the date and birthplace of parents, will start in Ladakh and the snow-bound areas, J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Aug 17.Parentsâ birth data will help identify how many meet citizenship criteria

Bharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the âprimeâ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in Indiaâs neighbourhood.