Census 2027
Your mother tongue, in your own words.
Census 2027 will ask every person in India for their mother tongue. This guide explains when the count happens, what is asked, and how answers are recorded, so that every Sylheti speaker can answer with confidence.
until Census 2027 self-enumeration opens on 10 January.
How the mother-tongue question works →When the count happens
| Stage | Dates | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Self-enumeration | 10 – 24 Jan 2027 | You fill in your household's details yourself on the official census portal or app. |
| Door-to-door count | 25 Jan – 28 Feb 2027 | An enumerator visits your home and asks the questions. |
| Revisional round | 1 – 5 Mar 2027 | A final round to cover anyone missed. |
The reference date is midnight at the start of 1 March 2027.[1]
Manipur, including Jiribam, is reported to be outside this schedule. Its dates have not been announced; we will add them here when they are.[2]
The link to the official self-enumeration portal will be added here when it opens. Only use links from official government sources.
What is asked
The population count includes a question on "Mother Tongue and other languages known". It is one of 40 questions notified for this stage in August 2026.[3]
The exact wording on the form, and whether the app offers a list or a free-text box, has not been published yet. We will add screenshots of the real question as soon as official material is available.
Because the question also asks for other languages known, you can name your mother tongue and also list the other languages you speak, such as Bengali, Assamese, Hindi or English.
How your answer is recorded
In Census 2011, enumerators were instructed to record the mother tongue as it was actually given by the person answering, and not to change answers on their own. If they doubted an answer, they were to report it to a supervisor, not alter it.[4] The 2027 instructions have not been published; we will update this section when they are.
Historically, the census has defined mother tongue as the language spoken to a person by their mother in childhood. Treat this as background until the 2027 definition is published.[5]
Why Sylheti is hard to see in the results
After the count, the census groups the raw answers. In 2011, people gave 19,569 different names for their mother tongues. These were reduced to 1,369 "rationalised" mother tongues, which were then grouped under larger languages. Since 1971, mother tongues with fewer than 10,000 speakers have been published only as "others" under the language they were grouped with.[4]
Researchers have shown how this process can make distinct mother tongues disappear from the published tables, even when people report them.[6] This is why SYMI is asking for Sylheti to be classified and published in its own right.
Your answer is yours
Nobody, including SYMI, can tell you what your mother tongue is. The Census Act, 1948 requires answers to be truthful, and keeps individual census records confidential. If Sylheti is the language you grew up speaking, you have every right to say so. Draft · cite Census Act 1948, ss. 11 and 15
Questions people ask
Can I give Sylheti as my mother tongue and Bengali as another language?
Yes. The question covers your mother tongue and other languages known. Many Sylheti speakers also read and write Bengali.
What if the enumerator writes something different?
You can politely ask what has been recorded. In 2011 the rule was to record the answer as given. We will publish the 2027 rule when it is available.
Should I self-enumerate online or wait for the visit?
Either counts. Self-enumeration lets you enter your answers yourself between 10 and 24 January. Use only the official portal.
Does saying Sylheti make me any less Indian, or less Bengali?
No. Mother tongue is a language question. It says nothing about citizenship, and it does not ask you to give up any other language or identity.
Who can I ask for help?
SYMI volunteers will run a help line during the census weeks. Details will appear here and on our channels.
Sources
- Deccan Herald (reporting the Registrar General notification), Population enumeration during Census 2027 to be held from Jan 25 to Feb 28, self-enumeration from Jan 10 (2026). Link ↩
- The Live Nagpur, Census 2027 dates: enumeration schedule and excluded states (2026). Link ↩
- Business Today, Census 2027: the full list of 40 questions (2026). Link ↩
- Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, C-16: Population by mother tongue, India, 2011 (statement and notes) (2018). Link ↩
- Prabhākara, Routledge, Census in Assam: The Question of the Mother Tongue (2020). doi:10.4324/9781003157298-5 ↩
- Jolad & Agarwal, SocArXiv, Mapping India's Language and Mother Tongue Diversity and its Exclusion in the Indian Census (2021). doi:10.31235/osf.io/sjxc6 ↩
Last checked against public reports on 31 October 2026. Official notifications take precedence over this page.