**Executive Summary**
The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India announced that Census 2027, the first digital census in the nation's history, will commence its first phase on April 1, 2026. The exercise introduces a self-enumeration option and will be conducted in two phases, supported by an approved outlay of ₹11,718.24 crore. Key deadlines include the completion of the Houselisting and Housing Census by September 2026 and Population Enumeration in February 2027.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Phases and Timelines**
* **Phase I (Houselisting and Housing Census):** To be conducted between April and September 2026 over a 30-day period per State/UT, focusing on house conditions, amenities, and assets.
* **Phase II (Population Enumeration):** Scheduled for February 2027 to collect demographic, socio-economic, education, and caste data.
* **Reference Dates:** March 1, 2027, for most of India; October 1, 2026, for Ladakh and specific snow-bound areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
* **Administrative Freeze:** All administrative units were frozen from January 1, 2026, until March 31, 2027.
**Digital Innovations**
* **Digital Methodology:** Data collection will transition entirely to digital platforms, replacing paper-based methods.
* **Self-Enumeration (SE):** A secure web-based portal will allow citizens to enter their information in 16 languages before door-to-door surveys begin.
* **Mobile Application:** Enumerators will use a dedicated mobile app on their smartphones to collect and submit data directly.
* **Management Portal:** A centralized system has been developed for monitoring field activities, generating staff ID cards, and managing training.
**Resource Allocation and Training**
* **Personnel:** Over 3 million enumerators, supervisors, and officials are mobilized for the exercise.
* **Financial Outlay:** ₹11,718.24 crore is allocated for IT infrastructure, logistics, training, and honorariums.
* **Training Hierarchy:** A multi-tier training structure includes 100 National Trainers, 2,000 Master Trainers, and 45,000 Field Trainers to prepare 3.1 million staff members.
**Data Security and Methodology**
* **Security Measures:** All necessary provisions have been implemented to ensure the security of digital data.
* **Validation:** A pre-test involving 5,000 blocks was conducted in November 2025 to rehearse the methodology and technical infrastructure.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Citizens / Respondents**
**Impact**
Residents gain the flexibility to provide household information digitally through the Self-Enumeration portal in their preferred language.
**Action Required**
Respondents choosing self-enumeration must log in using a mobile number, complete the online schedule during the designated 15-day window, and provide the generated Self-Enumeration ID (SE ID) to the visiting enumerator.
**Census Enumerators and Supervisors**
**Impact**
Field staff must transition to digital workflows, using smartphones for data entry and real-time submission.
**Action Required**
Personnel must undergo mandatory training, utilize the official mobile app for data collection, and visit assigned blocks to conduct surveys or verify SE IDs.
**State and UT Governments**
**Impact**
Local administrations must manage the logistical execution of the census within specific 30-day windows tailored to their regional requirements.
**Action Required**
Authorities must coordinate the deployment of functionaries and ensure adherence to the specific phase timelines provided in the Census 2027 schedule.
Key Entities Referenced
Census 2027: The 16th national population census of India, which is the first to be conducted digitally using mobile applications and a web-based portal.
Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India: The primary authority responsible for the planning, execution, and oversight of the national census operations.
Census Act, 1948: The legal framework that provides the mandate and statutory provisions for conducting the population census in India.
Self-Enumeration: A new digital initiative allowing respondents to securely submit their own census information online in 16 languages prior to door-to-door surveys.
Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA): The government committee responsible for the policy decision to include caste enumeration in the second phase of the census.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Registrar General and Census Commissioner of
India addresses Press Conference on Census-
2027, in New Delhi today
World's largest census to be conducted in two phases, first
phase to begin from 1st April 2026
For the first time, the Census will be conducted digitally, and
for the first time, the option of Self-Enumeration will also be
available
Self-enumeration from 1st to 15th April and House Listing
and Housing Census from 16th April to 15th May 2026 to be
conducted in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, NDMC and Delhi
Cantonment Board, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram,
Odisha, and Sikkim
Self-Enumeration is a secure web-based facility through
which respondents can enter their information online in 16
languages before the door-to-door survey
Enumerators will collect and submit data directly through
Mobile App, using their smart phone
All necessary provisions have been made to ensure data
security
More than 3 million enumerators, supervisors, and other
officials will be involved in Census 2027 across the country
Posted On: 30 MAR 2026 3:22PM by PIB Delhi
Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Shri Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, addressed a Press
Conference on Census-2027, in New Delhi today. The World's largest census to be conducted in two
phases, first phase to begin from 1st April 2026. For the first time, the Census will be conducted digitally,
and for the first time, the option of Self-Enumeration will also be available. Self-enumeration from 1st to15th April and House Listing and Housing Census from 16th April to 15th May 2026 to be conducted in
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, NDMC and Delhi Cantonment Board, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep,
Mizoram, Odisha, and Sikkim.
Census of India is conducted under provisions of Census Act, 1948, Census Rules, 1990 as amended from
time to time. The last Census of India was conducted in 2011. Census 2027 will be 16th in series and 8th
since independence.
The intent of the Government to conduct Population Census 2027 has been notified in Gazette of India on
16th June, 2025. The reference date of Census 2027 is 00:00 hours of 1st March, 2027, (for UT of Ladakh
and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and States of Uttarakhand and
Himachal Pradesh reference date is 00:00 hours of 1st October, 2026).The Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases namely Phase I–House Listing and Housing Census
popularly known as HLO during six months from April to September, 2026 in a period of 30 days as per
the convenience of the State/UT Governments along with option of Self-enumeration of 15 days period
just before the 30 days period of house-to-house houselisting work. In this phase information about
condition of houses, amenities available to the household and assets possessed by the household will be
collected. Questions of the Phase I of the Census have been notified in January, 2026.
Phase II–Population Enumeration (PE) will be conducted during February 2027 (UT of Ladakh and snow-
bound non-synchronous areas of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and States of Uttarakhand and Himachal
Pradesh Phase II will be conducted during September 2026). As decided by CCPA, enumeration of Castes
will also be done during second phase of Census. In phase II, information on demographic, socio-
economic, education, migration, fertility etc. will be collected from each individual. Exact dates of the
Population Enumeration and question to be covered in this Phase will be notified in due course.
States namely Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi (New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Cantonment
Board), Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Sikkim will do the Houselisting and
Housing Census during 16th April to 15th May, 2026, along with period of 15 Self enumeration from 1st
April to 15th April, 2026. Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh,
and Haryana will start Houselisting Census from 1st May to 30th May with period of self-Enumeration
from 16th April to 30th April, 2026. Detail state/UT wise period of first phase along with Self-Enumeration
is attached at Annex.
The Union Government has approved an outlay of ₹11,718.24 crore for Census 2027, making adequate
provisions for payment of honorarium and training to Census functionaries, IT infrastructures, logistics,
etc.
The Census 2027 will be conducted through digital means. Enumerators will collect and submit data
directly through Mobile App, using her/his smart phone. In addition to this, there will be an online
provision for self-enumeration in both the phases. Mobile app as well as Self-Enumeration portal will be
available in 16 languages including Hindi and English. A portal has been developed for management and
monitoring of various Census related field activities like generation of appointment letter and ID card of
Enumerators and Supervisors and allocation of work to them, management of training to censusfunctionaries, HLB creation, monitoring of the progress of work through dashboard near real time basis,
auto-generation of some Census Records/ Abstracts, etc. Houselisting Blocks (HLBs) will be carved out
using a web mapping application. Necessary measures for data security have been taken.
For self-enumeration, respondents can log into the SE portal using their mobile number and other basic
details, and complete the Census schedule at their convenience. Upon successful submission, a unique
Self-Enumeration ID (SE ID) will be generated which is to be shared with the enumerator during the field
visit. Self-Enumeration option provides flexibility to fill the information at one's own convenience before
the enumerator's visit. While enumerators will continue to make house to house enumeration in their
allocated blocks as in the previous Censuses, Self-enumeration is an additional facility given this time to
respondents.
(Access SE Portal (se.census.gov.in) → Login using Mobile Number → Identify location on map→ Fill
Household Details → Submit Information → Receive SE ID → Provide SE ID to Enumerator → Data
confirmed & Included in Census)
A Pre-test of first phase of Census (HLO) i.e. a full rehearsal of the entire census methodology including
the appointment and trainings of the census field functionaries and other officers/officials of state,
questionnaire, relevant apps and portals and all other related activities from data collection to data
processing was conducted in all States/UTs in November, 2025 in about 5000 blocks.
All the administrative units have been frozen for the period 01.01.2026 to 31.03.2027. Census 2027 will
be conducted in 36 States/UTs, 7,092 sub-districts, 5,128 Statutory towns, 4,580 Census towns and around
6,39,902 villages, as on 01.01.2026.
Elaborate arrangement for training of Census functionaries has been made. 100 National Trainers have
been trained by subject matter experts who have trained about 2000 Master Trainers. These Master
Trainers are training about 45000 Field Trainers who in turn will train about 31 Lakh Enumerators and
Supervisors in about 80 thousand batches. All possible training materials have been prepared in regional
languages so as to ensure that our last mile foot soldiers, the Enumerators and Supervisors do not face
difficulty in collecting quality data in a timely manner.
*****
Annex
State & UT-wise Houselisting and Housing Census and SE Period
State/UT Self-Enumeration Period Houselisting and Housing
Census Period
1 April to 15 April 16th April to 15th May
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi (New
Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi
Cantonment Board), Goa, Karnataka,
Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and
Sikkim.
Gujarat*, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and 5 April to 19 April 20 April to 19 May
Daman and DiuUttarakhand 10 April to 24 April 25 April to 24 May
Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, 16 April to 30 April 1 May to 30 May
Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh,
Chhattisgarh, and Haryana
Bihar 17 April to 1 May 2 May to 31 May
Telangana 26 April to 10 May 11 May to 9 June
30 April to 14 May 15 May to 13 June
Punjab
Delhi (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), 1 May to 15 May 16 May to 14 June
Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Rajasthan and
Jharkhand **
7 May to 21 May 22 May to 20 June
Uttar Pradesh
Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and 17 May to 31 May 1 June to 30 June
Puducherry
Himachal Pradesh 1 June to 15 June 16 June to 15 July
Kerala and Nagaland 16 June to 30 June 1 July to 30 July
Tamil Nadu and Tripura 17 July to 31 July 1 Aug to 30 Aug
Assam 2 Aug to 16 Aug 17 Aug to 15 Sep
Manipur 17 Aug to 31 Aug 1 Sep to 30 Sep
West Bengal To be decided
*Gujarat- Subject to change
**Jharkhand- Notification of intention to conduct census published. For HLO period notification to be
issued.
*****RK/RR/PR/SK
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