Parliament Question: Digital census

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 559 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 4TH FEBRUARY, 2026/ MAGHA 15, 1947 (SAKA) DIGITAL CENSUS 559. MS. SUSHMITA DEV: Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state: (a) whether the forthcoming census is proposed to be conducted using digital modes, including mobile applications for enumerators and provisions for online self-enumeration by households; (b) the details of the data-collection architecture envisaged, including the use of mobile apps, online portals, data security safeguards and the availability of offline or paper-based enumeration alternatives; (c) whether Government has assessed levels of digital illiteracy, internet inaccessibility and device unavailability among rural, tribal, elderly and economically weaker populations; and (d) whether specific measures have been undertaken to prevent the exclusion of digitally disconnected or illiterate groups from the census, and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI) (a) : Yes, Sir. (b) to (d): Census 2027 shall be conducted in two phases, first phase i.e., Houselisting and Housing Census and the second phase i.e., Population Enumeration. Mobile Apps, Census Management and Monitoring Portal and Self Enumeration Portal for first phase of the Census have been developed.-2- R.S.US.Q.NO. 559 FOR 04.02.2026 Provision for offline data collection is available in mobile apps. Only in unavoidable circumstances, enumerators may collect data in paper mode and in such situation the data will be digitized at the charge level itself. All suitable security measures have been provisioned during data collection, data transmission and data storage at the server level. Enumerators shall undertake house-to-house field visits in their allotted enumeration block for collection of census data. Provision of self- enumeration is an additional facility for the respondents to submit data. House-to-house visit of enumerator will ensure that there is no exclusion on any ground. *****