India has officially begun the first phase of conducting the first phase of the 2027 census today, April 1, and has embarked upon what promises to be the largest exercise in human demography the world over. The 16th census is set to be the most technologically advanced, being the first-ever digital census, giving citizens the option to self-enumerate through the dedicated online portal.
This first phase, which is called the House Listing and Housing Census, will be conducted in staggered schedules in the various states and union territories. In a move away from the traditional paper and pen approach, more than three million enumerators will be using a specially designed mobile application to conduct the census in real-time. In addition, the self-enumeration portal, which will be available in 16 languages including Hindi and English, will be available to those who prefer to do the self-enumeration, which will then be presented to the official when they visit the home.
The focus for this first phase is strictly on living conditions and household assets. Officials will be gathering data on everything from building materials and room counts to the availability of basic amenities like electricity, sanitation, and clean drinking water. The survey also covers modern essentials — internet access, mobile phone ownership, and vehicle availability based on a set of questions finalised by the government in early 2026.
The timeline varies by region: residents in Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, and several other states can begin self-enumeration today, with house listing scheduled for mid-April. A second group, including Haryana, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh, will begin their window later in the month. Meanwhile, the more complex second phase — the actual Population Enumeration — is slated for February 2027, though snow-bound regions like Ladakh and parts of Himachal Pradesh will start as early as September 2026 to beat the winter.
With a budget of more than ₹11,718 crore allotted for technology, training, and logistics, the government has emphasised that data security is a top priority. As the reference date approaches on March 1, 2027, this digital shift marks a paradigm shift in how India records its demographic changes, achieving unprecedented scale and a paperless approach.
Also read: Commercial LPG surges ₹195.5, mini cylinders by ₹51
Follow us
