Census 2027 Kicks Off: India’s Largest Census Goes Digital with Self-Enumeration Option
India is gearing up for its largest census, Census 2027, which will be conducted in two phases starting April 1, 2026. This census marks a significant shift as it will be the first to be conducted digitally, with a self-enumeration option available to citizens.
The first phase, House Listing and Housing Census, will begin on April 16, 2026, and conclude on May 15, 2026, in select states, including Andaman & Nicobar, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, Sikkim, and parts of Delhi. Other states will commence their House Listing Census from May 1, 2026. This phase will cover housing conditions, amenities, and assets.
A notable feature of Census 2027 is the introduction of self-enumeration, allowing citizens to fill in information at their convenience. This option will be available from April 1 to 15, 2026, for certain states. Citizens can log into the self-enumeration portal using their mobile number and other basic details, and complete the census schedule at their convenience.
The second phase, Population Enumeration, is slated for February 2027 and will collect demographic, socio-economic, education, migration, and fertility data, including caste enumeration. The exact dates and questions for this phase will be notified later.
With a budget allocation of ₹11,718.24 crore, Census 2027 is poised to leverage technology, with data collection through mobile apps and a self-enumeration portal available in 16 languages, including Hindi and English. The census will cover 36 states/UTs, 7,092 sub-districts, and approximately 6,39,902 villages, making it a monumental task requiring meticulous planning and execution.
The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, has emphasized the importance of this census, stating that it will provide crucial data for national development and policy-making. The census will be conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948, and Census Rules, 1990, as amended from time to time.
To ensure the success of this massive undertaking, elaborate arrangements have been made for the training of census functionaries. Around 31 lakh enumerators and supervisors will be trained, and all possible training materials have been prepared in regional languages to ensure that data collection is accurate and timely.
Overall, Census 2027 promises to be a landmark event in India’s statistical history, providing valuable insights into the country’s demographic and socio-economic landscape.
