**Executive Summary**
Maharashtra has launched the first digital self-enumeration phase for Census 2027, starting May 1, 2026. This initiative allows citizens to independently submit household details online through a dedicated portal, marking the first time a digital approach has been used in the history of the Indian Census. Residents have a 15-day window, concluding on May 15, 2026, to complete this optional exercise prior to the commencement of house-listing.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Digital Innovation and Access**
* Census 2027 is the first in India to offer a digital self-enumeration (SE) facility.
* Citizens can complete the process online via the portal se.census.gov.in from any location.
* The digital form consists of 33 questions and takes approximately ten minutes to complete.
**Implementation in Maharashtra**
* The self-enumeration window in Maharashtra runs from May 1, 2026, to May 15, 2026.
* A total of 2.6 lakh staff members have been deployed across the state to conduct the census.
* By 6:30 PM on the first day, more than 64,600 individuals had successfully completed their self-enumeration.
**Census Framework**
* The exercise is part of the 16th Indian Census overall and the 8th since Independence.
* Self-enumeration is an optional facility, not a mandatory requirement for citizens.
* The digital system aims to provide faster, more accurate, and granular data while maintaining high security standards.
**Impact Analysis**
**Residents of Maharashtra**
**Impact**
Residents now have the convenience of submitting their household data independently without waiting for a physical visit from an enumerator. The digital format allows for participation from any location using a 10-minute online process.
**Action Required**
Interested individuals should log on to se.census.gov.in between May 1 and May 15, 2026, to answer the 33-question census form.
**Maharashtra State Census Officials and Staff**
**Impact**
The administrative burden is shared with the public through digital tools, aiming for higher data accuracy and faster processing. A large workforce of 2.6 lakh personnel is tasked with overseeing the transition to this digital-first approach.
**Action Required**
Staff must manage the Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS) portal and proceed with the subsequent house-listing phase following the self-enumeration window.
Key Entities Referenced
Census 2027: The 16th national census of India and the first to be conducted through digital data collection methods.
Self-Enumeration (SE): A newly introduced digital facility enabling individuals to independently submit their household census details online via a dedicated portal.
Ministry of Home Affairs: The primary Union Ministry responsible for the planning and execution of the national census exercise.
Maharashtra: The state where the first-ever digital self-enumeration exercise for Census 2027 was officially launched.
se.census.gov.in: The official digital portal established for citizens to participate in the self-enumeration process for the census.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Maharashtra Launches First Digital Self-
Enumeration for Census 2027
Leading by Example: Governor, CM, Deputy CM and Union
Minister Nitin Gadkari Join Self-Enumeration, Urge Citizens to
Participate
More than 64,000 people in Maharashtra complete self-
enumeration by the end of first day
Posted On: 01 MAY 2026 7:22PM by PIB Mumbai
: Mumbai, May 1, 2026
Self-enumeration for the Census 2027 commenced in Maharashtra today. On the
opening day, Maharashtra Governor Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, Chief Minister Shri
Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde, and Union Minister
Shri Nitin Gadkari participated in the exercise. Guardian Ministers from various
districts also took part, underscoring the significance of this new digital approach to
census data collection. For the first time in the history of the Indian Census, a Self-
Enumeration (SE) facility has been introduced, enabling individuals to independently
fill, complete, and submit their household census details online.
Expressing happiness that the census is commencing in the state on Maharashtra
Day, Governor Shri Jishnu Dev Varma appealed to the people to actively participate
in this important national initiative. “Our Census, Our Development,” he urged.
Stating that self-enumeration can be done in just ten minutes, Maharashtra's
Principal Census Officer Dr. (Mrs.) Nirupama J. Dange informed that 2.6 lakh staff in
the state will conduct the census.Describing the first-ever digital census as “historic,” Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Shri Devendra Fadnavis, appealed to citizens to actively participate in the exercise.
In his message, he noted that the self-enumeration process, which begins today (1
May 2026), can be completed easily through the portal se.census.gov.in, allowing
residents to answer 33 questions conveniently from their homes or any location.Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ceremonially inaugurated Census in Thane
district by doing self-enumeration. Shri Shinde also appealed to the citizens to
cooperate for this national exercise.
Deputy Chief Minister Smt. Sunetra Ajit Pawar, launched the self-enumeration at
Beed district, by logging in to the official website se.census.gov.in under Census
2027 and filling in her basic information.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari also did self-
enumeration at Nagpur and urged citizens to actively contribute to the national
exercise.By 6:30 pm on the first day, more than 64,600 people in Maharashtra had
completed their self-enumeration, as recorded on the Census Management &
Monitoring System (CMMS) Portal.
For the first time in the country, the data collection of Census 2027 is being
conducted digitally, where self-enumeration will also be an option, though
not mandatory. For the State of Maharashtra, a 15-day window prior to the start
of the period of house-listing has been scheduled for self-enumeration, which will
run from 1st May, 2026 to 15th May, 2026.
Supported by advanced digital tools, Census 2027 exercise aims to deliver faster,
more accurate, and granular data while ensuring the highest standards of data
security and public participation. The Census 2027 is the 16th Indian Census overall
and the 8th since Independence.
***
SC/PK
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