New Delhi: The government on Monday announced the Haj Policy 2027 and invited applications from prospective pilgrims for the pilgrimage next year.
The Haj Policy 2027 carries forward the Minority Affairs Ministry’s sustained efforts to make the pilgrimage more comfortable, safe and dignified for every pilgrim, building on the initiatives of Haj-2026 such as sofa-cum-beds in Mina, hotel-style accommodation in Mecca and the 20-day Short Haj Package, an official statement said.
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju released the policy and announced that the Haj Committee of India would, from Monday, invite applications from prospective pilgrims for Haj-2027.
Prospective pilgrims can apply for Haj-2027 online through the portal — hajcommittee.gov.in— as well as the Haj Suvidha app, making the application process flexible, simpler and more accessible, the ministry said.
The distribution of the quota between the Haj Committee of India and the private sector is expected to remain unchanged at the ratio of 70:30, with 1,22,518 seats for the Haj Committee of India and 52,507 seats for the private sector.
However, the government will make efforts to increase the Haj quota for Indian pilgrims, which stood at 1,75,025 last year, the ministry said.
The announcement follows the Haj review meeting chaired by the minister on June 18, at which the conduct of Haj-2026 was reviewed and the roadmap for Haj-2027 was finalised.
The early announcement of the policy and the simultaneous opening of applications reflect the ministry’s emphasis on timely preparation and adherence to the timelines prescribed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the statement said.
It recalled that the Indian Haj Mission was conferred two Labbaytum Awards by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah under the ‘Best Haj Coordination and Communication’ category for Haj-2026, a distinction received for the first time.
Among the key changes, the policy strengthens on-ground assistance to pilgrims by improving the State Haj Inspector ratio from one inspector for every 150 pilgrims to one for every 135.
To address the growing waiting list in a fair manner, preference will be given to the top 20 per cent of the final waitlisted applicants of Haj-2026.
The Short Haj Package, which received an encouraging response in its first year, is being retained with the inclusion of Kolkata as an additional embarkation point in view of the strong demand from the region.
The policy also aligns medical screening with Saudi medical guidelines, with strengthened checks to ensure that individuals with chronic medical conditions are not cleared to depart for Haj, in the interest of the health and safety of pilgrims.
The ministry is also pursuing an emerging set of artificial intelligence interventions to strengthen end-to-end Haj pilgrim management, including AI-assisted applications and documents verification of pilgrims, demand modelling for flight allocation across embarkation points, and real-time grievance tracking and escalation.
These initiatives are envisaged for phased implementation, in line with the government’s push towards a technology-enabled Haj, the statement said.
A key element of this effort is a conversational AI assistance for Haj pilgrims, designed to provide round-the-clock support in Hindi, Urdu and major regional languages, allowing pilgrims to ask questions and receive guidance in their own language through simple voice or text.
It is intended to help pilgrims at every stage, from filling and submitting the application form, to obtaining information on payments, flights, accommodation and baggage, to raising grievances and seeking emergency assistance, thereby reducing errors and rejections in application forms, lessening dependence on intermediaries and making accurate information readily available to first-time and elderly pilgrims.
Integration with the Saudi Nusuk platform is also planned, so that pilgrim services across the Indian and Saudi systems can work together seamlessly and pilgrims receive consistent, real-time information throughout their journey, the ministry said.
Rijiju urged all eligible pilgrims to apply within the prescribed timelines and directed the Haj Committee of India and all concerned agencies to ensure a smooth and transparent application process.
The Union minister reiterated the Centre’s commitment to ensuring a safe, comfortable, transparent and dignified Haj for every Indian pilgrim.
