Jaipur, April 17 (IANS) The first phase of Census 2027 in Rajasthan will be conducted from May 16 to June 14, 2026, during which a comprehensive House Listing and Housing Census (HLO) will be carried out.​

This phase will focus on collecting detailed information about houses, properties, and household amenities through a fully digital process. For the first time, citizens will have the option to submit their information online from home through the Self-Enumeration facility available on the official Census portal from May 1 to May 15, 2026.​

Officials clarified that even after online submission, enumerators will visit each household for mandatory physical verification. Rajasthan’s Director of Census Operations, Vishnu Charan Mallick, informed that approximately 1.6 lakh enumerators and supervisors will be deployed across the state for this exercise. Most personnel will be drawn from the Education Department, with an additional 10 per cent workforce kept in reserve.​

During the survey, officials will collect information using a structured set of 33 questions, covering key aspects such as housing conditions, number of family members, availability of toilets and drinking water, internet access, mobile phones, cooking gas, vehicles, electricity supply, staple foods, and other essential amenities. The data will help the government plan and implement development schemes.​

To ensure smooth execution, extensive training is being conducted. A total of 103 Master Trainers have completed state-level training, while 2,550 Field Trainers are currently training personnel at the district level. Final training for enumerators and supervisors will be held from May 1 to May 15.​

The entire process will be conducted digitally using mobile applications and online platforms. The Self-Enumeration portal allows households to enter their details on a mobile device or computer. Officials have urged citizens to use only the official portal and avoid clicking on unknown links.

Mallick emphasised that a person should not share OTPs with anyone, as enumerators will never ask for OTPs. Official messages will be sent only from the sender ID “RGICEN”. Residents are also advised to verify the identity of enumerators through official ID cards and QR codes.​

Officials stressed that accurate and complete information from citizens is crucial for effective policy planning. All collected data will remain strictly confidential and will be used only for statistical purposes. Legal provisions are in place for non-cooperation or providing false information. Violators may face a fine of up to Rs 1,000 and imprisonment for up to three years.​

In a significant shift from traditional methods, the census will be conducted entirely online rather than on paper. Households can submit their details via a mobile application or the official online portal. The head of the household or any family member may complete the questionnaire online if they choose.​

To facilitate this, a dedicated self-enumeration portal—https://se.census.gov.in—has been made available and is accessible on both mobile devices and computers. Monitoring and planning of the operation will be carried out through the CMMS portal, while housing unit geo-tagging has been completed using the HLBC portal. Door-to-door data collection will be conducted through the HLO mobile application.​

Mallick emphasised that individuals owning multiple residences should provide details based on their current place of residence. Enumeration of nomadic populations will be carried out during the second phase.​

India’s census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948, and falls under the Union List as per Article 246 of the Constitution. India’s census system is longstanding and systematically organised. The first non-synchronous census was held in 1872; the first modern (synchronous) census was held in 1881; the last caste census was held in 1931; the first census after Independence was held in 1951; and Census 2027 will be the eighth since Independence and the sixteenth overall.​

–IANS

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