Centre Appoints IAS Amit Sharma to Lead Census Operations in J&K, Ladakh Ahead of 2027 Mega Exercise
Census 2027 Preparations Accelerate: Senior IAS Officer Amit Sharma Posted in Srinagar for Strategic Oversight
- After 16-Year Gap, Census Set for 2027: Centre Assigns Amit Sharma to Helm Operations in J&K, Ladakh
NEW DELHI, Dec 3: In a key administrative move ahead of India’s first fully digital and climate-sensitive census, the Central Government has appointed senior IAS officer Amit Sharma as the Director of Census Operations and Director of Citizen Registration for the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The appointment, approved by the President, was announced through an official order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday.
Sharma, a 2012-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre, will serve in this crucial capacity from November 24 until December 31, 2025, or until further orders. As per the order, he will assume responsibility under the Central Staffing Scheme and will be stationed in Srinagar to oversee the preparatory and operational components of the upcoming Census 2027 in both Union Territories.
The appointment comes at a pivotal time, with the national census rescheduled for 2027 following postponements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The upcoming exercise will be conducted in two phases and marks a significant methodological shift, including digital data collection, mobile-app-based documentation, and self-enumeration options for citizens.
Phase I will consist of the House Listing and Housing Census, to be carried out anytime between April and September 2026 in a 30-day window determined by individual UT and State authorities. Phase II, involving the Population Enumeration, will take place in February 2027 with the reference date of March 1, 2027. However, in snow-bound and climatically sensitive areas such as Ladakh and select regions of Jammu & Kashmir, enumeration will take place earlier, in September 2026, with a reference date of October 1, 2026. This staggered approach aims to ensure accuracy despite harsh weather cycles.
The 2027 Census is expected to be the country’s largest digital demographic exercise, likely involving more than 30 lakh enumerators and supervisors. Preparations for the previous census cycle had been completed in early 2020, but the nationwide lockdown triggered by the pandemic halted the field operations that were scheduled to begin on April 1 that year.
Sharma’s appointment signals a renewed push to streamline administrative readiness, technologically upgrade enumeration methods, and ensure seamless coordination across district-level machinery in both Union Territories. As Director of Citizen Registration, he will also be responsible for overseeing the National Population Register (NPR)‐related activities in the region.
Officials said his experience in digital governance, administrative reforms, and public service delivery positions him well to guide the census operations efficiently, especially in two strategically sensitive territories where terrain, climate and demographic diversity pose unique logistical challenges.
