Centre introduces self-enumeration option for digital Census-2027

The Centre has introduced a Self-Enumeration option for Census-2027, allowing households to submit details online before enumerators begin field visits. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also unveiled four digital tools and mascots to support India’s first fully digital census exercise

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday highlighted the introduction of a Self-Enumeration option for the upcoming Census-2027, allowing eligible members of households to submit their details online before field operations begin. The census, to be conducted in two phases, will be the world’s largest census exercise and will also be carried out digitally for the first time.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday soft-launched four digital tools and formally unveiled the mascots “Pragati” (female) and “Vikas” (male) for the Census-2027 exercise.

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For the first time, the government will introduce a Self-Enumeration portal that will allow eligible members of a household to enter their details online ahead of field visits by enumerators. After submitting the information, households will receive a unique Self-Enumeration ID, which can later be verified by the enumerator during the survey process.

“Census-2027, to be conducted in two phases, is the world’s largest census exercise. For the first time, the Census will be conducted digitally, and for the first time, the option of Self-Enumeration will be available,” the Home Ministry said.

Along with the introduction of the Self-Enumeration option, the Home Minister also soft-launched four digital tools developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) to support enumeration operations across the country.

One of the key platforms is the Houselisting Block Creator web application, which allows officials to digitally create houselisting blocks using satellite imagery. This tool will help ensure proper geographic coverage and improve the accuracy of mapping for the census process.

Another important tool is the HLO mobile application, a secure offline application that will be used by enumerators to collect houselisting data directly from households. The application will allow field workers to upload data digitally, reducing the need for paperwork.

The fourth platform, the Census Management and Monitoring System portal, is a centralised digital system that will help authorities plan, manage and monitor all census-related activities. Officials at sub-district, district and state levels will be able to track the progress of enumeration and field operations in real time through an integrated dashboard, according to the ministry.

The mascots “Pragati” and “Vikas” are intended to serve as friendly, relatable faces of Census-2027, symbolising the equal participation of women and men in fulfilling the resolve to make India a developed nation by 2047.

Through these mascots, information, objectives and key messages related to Census-2027 will be disseminated in a citizen-friendly manner across diverse sections of society, the ministry said.