New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday completed his self-enumeration for the first phase of Census 2027, marking the rollout of India’s first fully digital census.

In a post on his X handle, HM Shah said: “Under the ‘House-listing’ phase – the first step of the Census process commencing today – I filled out the self-enumeration form at my residence in Delhi. This process will play a pivotal role in accelerating India’s developmental journey and ensuring that the full benefits of government schemes reach every citizen.”

He added that Census teams will soon visit households across the country and urged citizens to extend full cooperation by providing the required information. HM Shah also encouraged people to opt for self-enumeration through the official portal.

This marks the beginning of Phase I – House Listing and Housing Census (HLO) of Census 2027, which will run from April to September 2026 in a staggered manner across states.

The exercise introduces a 15-day self-enumeration window before door-to-door visits in each region, allowing citizens to submit household details online.

The self-enumeration portal (https://se.census.gov.in) is available in 16 languages and enables households to fill a 33-question schedule covering housing conditions, amenities, assets, and basic household information. Once submitted, citizens receive a reference ID to share with enumerators for verification.

India’s last census was conducted in 2011, while the 2021 exercise was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Census 2027 will be the country’s 16th national census and the first to be conducted fully digitally, eliminating paper-based processes. It will use mobile applications for enumerators, including offline capability, along with enhanced data security measures.

Phase II — population enumeration, including caste data — is scheduled for early 2027, with March 1, 2027, as the reference date.

The House Listing phase will provide critical data for planning infrastructure, welfare schemes, urban development, and resource allocation.

By enabling self-enumeration, the government aims to improve accuracy, reduce errors, increase participation, and make the process more citizen-friendly.

–IANS

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