Jain Population West Bengal: Get Counted in Census 2027

The Phase 1 self-enumeration window for West Bengal has closed. Enumerators are now visiting every household until 14 September 2026. If an enumerator has not visited your home yet, your household is still on the schedule — but do not leave it to chance.

According to the Census of India 2011, the recorded Jain population in West Bengal is 60,141, representing 0.07% of the state's population. Community estimates suggest the actual Jain population is 2 crore or more (20 million+) nationally. That gap closes only when every household is counted correctly.

Phase 1 Now. Phase 2 in February 2027.

Phase 1: House Listing (until 14 September 2026): Records household details only. No religion question. When the enumerator visits, present your 11-digit SE ID if you completed self-enumeration. The visit will be brief. If you did not complete self-enumeration, cooperate fully with the enumerator and ensure all household details are recorded correctly.

Phase 2: Population Enumeration (February 2027): This is where religion is recorded. On 14 August 2026, the Registrar General notified the 40 questions for the Phase 2 household schedule via gazette S.O. 4505(E). Question 9 on the official Phase 2 household schedule is "Religion." Question 10 is "Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Caste", a completely separate field. Write "Jain" in Question 9. Not Oswal, not Porwal, not a caste name. Just Jain.

For a full step-by-step guide on both phases, read the Let Every Jain Count self-enumeration guide. For clarity on why Jain is a religion and not a caste in the census form, visit leteveryjaincount.info/is-jain-a-religion-or-caste.

Who Is at Risk of Being Missed

Kolkata's Marwari-Jain households: Business families are frequently absent when enumerators arrive and gated buildings create access barriers. For Kolkata's Marwari-Jain families, completing self-enumeration meant your household details went on record in your own words, at a time you chose, rather than in a rushed exchange at the door. If an enumerator has still not visited your household by early September, do not wait. Contact your local census Charge Officer (borough/municipal office in Kolkata) to confirm your household is on the enumeration register.

Sarak Jains of Purulia, Bankura, and Burdwan: The Sarak community is an ancient Jain ethnoreligious group, long isolated from the broader Jain community, concentrated in these three western districts. Many Sarak households are classified as OBC. Geographic remoteness means enumerators do not always reach every settlement. If your household or a neighbour's has not received a visit by 7 September 2026, report it immediately to the District Census Officer for your district. Do not wait until 14 September.

If your settlement has been missed: The person who should raise this is the head of household or community leader. The action is to call the District Census Officer's office directly. Village-level contacts can also reach the Let Every Jain Count campaign at 92898-11008 for guidance on the correct escalation path in your district.

For the first time, the count is in our own hands.

Call 92898-11008 for support. Visit leteveryjaincount.info for Phase 2 updates. To volunteer, register here.