Census 2027 in Andhra Pradesh to begin digitally from April 16

The Census 2027 in Andhra Pradesh will commence on April 16 in two phases — Houselisting and Housing Census followed by Population Census — marking a complete shift to digital data collection. For the first time, self-enumeration will be introduced, allowing citizens to submit details online.

Amaravati: The self-enumeration process under the Census 2027 will begin across Andhra Pradesh from April 16 under two-phases in digital format, Director of Census Operations J Nivas said on Wednesday.

In the first phase — Houselisting and Housing Census — will involve counting of houses and buildings to assess manpower and logistical requirements, he said.

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The entire Census 2027 exercise will be carried out digitally, marking a significant shift in data collection and processing, he added.

“The Census 2027 process will commence in Andhra Pradesh from April 16 as a two-phase exercise — Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO) and Population Census, and will be carried out in digital mode,” Nivas said while addressing a press conference at the Secretariat.

He said that Census 2027 introduces a self-enumeration facility, enabling people to submit details online from April 16 to April 30, 2026.

People can log in using mobile numbers, geo-tag residences, and generate a unique self enumeration ID, which must be shared with enumerators during verification visits.

Personal data collected during the census will remain confidential under legal provisions, ensuring privacy protection, Nivas said.

He said strong data security measures are implemented, including end-to-end protection, critical information infrastructure, and compliance with ISO standards.

Security audits are being conducted by authorised agencies to ensure safety of census data collected digitally, preventing breaches and ensuring integrity of sensitive information.

He explained that the population enumeration phase will collect socio-economic data, migration details and birth information.

The census is one of the largest administrative exercises conducted in the country and is crucial for policy-making and governance. Data collected during the exercise is used to design welfare schemes, allocate resources, and improve infrastructure in both rural and urban areas.

Nivas warned criminal action against those obstructing census work, urging people to cooperate and provide correct information.

All census-related notifications issued by the Centre have been republished by the state, and the questionnaire to be used has been formally notified through a gazette, he added.

Preparations have been completed, including freezing administrative units as of January 1, 2026, and conducting pre-tests in Alluri Sitharamaraju, Visakhapatnam, Prakasam and Nandyal districts in November 2025.

Coordination meetings involving the Chief Secretary, nodal officers and census officials were held between January and February, while appointments of field functionaries have been completed.

Around 1.1 lakh enumerators and supervisors, along with more than 3,500 additional personnel, are participating in the census exercise across Andhra Pradesh.

The census will be conducted in 16 languages, including major Indian languages, enabling wider participation and ensuring accessibility for diverse linguistic groups across the country.

Nivas noted that Census 2027 will be the 16th census overall and eighth after Independence, with the last census conducted in 2011 across the country.

He said that around 33 questions will be covered during houselisting, including housing materials, household conditions, SC/ST status, number of rooms, and family composition.

Details on amenities such as drinking water, electricity, toilets, cooking fuel, bathing facilities, kitchen availability, and household assets, including television, internet, vehicles will be collected.

The administrative structure for Census 2027 comprises 28 districts, 688 mandals, 123 statutory towns, 99 census towns and 16,862 villages across Andhra Pradesh, Nivas said.