Date: 2026-03-05Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah soft launches digital tools and mascots – Pragati (female) and “Vikas” (male) - for Census-2027, in New Delhi
**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Home Affairs has launched digital tools and mascots for Census-2027, which will be conducted in two phases, commencing with the Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO) from April 1 to September 30, 2026. For the first time, Census-2027 will be digital, incorporating Self-Enumeration, and will involve over 3 million officials. The Population Enumeration (PE) phase is scheduled for February 2027.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Census-2027 Overview:**
* To be conducted in two phases.
* The world's largest census exercise.
* For the first time, it will be conducted digitally.
* For the first time, the option of Self-Enumeration will be available.
* More than 3 million enumerators, supervisors, and other officials will be involved.
* **Digital Tools Launched:**
* **Houselisting Block Creator (HLBC) Web Application:** Enables Charge Officers to digitally create Houselisting Blocks using satellite imagery for standardized geographic coverage.
* **HLO Mobile Application:** A secure offline mobile application for enumerators to collect and upload Houselisting data, with direct field-to-server data transmission. Accessible only to registered enumerators on the CMMS Portal, it operates in 16 regional languages on Android and iOS.
* **Self-Enumeration (SE) Portal:** A secure web-based facility allowing respondents to submit household information online before field operations, generating a unique Self-Enumeration ID (SE ID).
* **Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) Portal:** A centralized, web-based platform for planning, managing, executing, and monitoring census activities, providing real-time tracking of progress and performance at administrative levels.
* **Mascots:**
* "Pragati" (female) and "Vikas" (male) mascots have been unveiled.
* Symbolize the equal participation of women and men in India's development by 2047.
* Will be used to disseminate information, objectives, and key messages in an effective and citizen-friendly manner.
* **Census Phases and Dates:**
* **Phase 1: Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO):**
* Notification issued on January 7, 2026.
* Conducted between April 1, 2026, and September 30, 2026.
* A 30-day continuous period, notified by each State/Union Territory, will be designated for the house-to-house survey.
* An optional 15-day Self-Enumeration period will precede the house-to-house survey.
* **Phase 2: Population Enumeration (PE):**
* Scheduled for February 2027 across India.
* For Ladakh, and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, enumeration will occur in September 2026.
* A caste-related question will be included in this phase.
* **Reference Dates:**
* For all States and Union Territories: 00:00 hours of March 1, 2027.
* For Union Territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand: 00:00 hours of October 1, 2026.
**Impact Analysis**
**Citizens/Respondents**
* **Impact:** Will have the option to participate in the Census digitally through the Self-Enumeration portal, in addition to the traditional door-to-door survey. They can submit their information online in 16 languages prior to field operations.
* **Action Required:** Eligible respondents within a household can use the secure web-based Self-Enumeration (SE) Portal to submit their household information online.
**Enumerators, Supervisors, and Other Officials**
* **Impact:** Will utilize new digital tools, including the HLO Mobile Application, for data collection and upload, and will verify information based on Self-Enumeration IDs. They will be part of a workforce exceeding 3 million.
* **Action Required:** Must register on the CMMS Portal to access the HLO Mobile Application. They will use the app for data collection and will use Self-Enumeration IDs to verify household information.
**Charge Officers**
* **Impact:** Will use the HLBC Web Application to digitally create Houselisting Blocks, ensuring standardized geographic coverage.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the Houselisting Block Creator (HLBC) Web Application for creating Houselisting Blocks.
**Government Officials (Sub-district, District, and State levels)**
* **Impact:** Will have access to real-time data and progress tracking of census activities through the CMMS Portal.
* **Action Required:** Use the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) Portal to monitor enumeration progress, field performance, and operational readiness.
Key Entities Referenced
Census-2027: The primary subject of the policy, a major census exercise to be conducted in two phases.
Self-Enumeration (SE) Portal: A new digital facility enabling respondents to submit their information online prior to the census.
Ministry of Home Affairs: The governmental body responsible for overseeing the Census.
Gazette Notification: The official notification from the Central Government announcing the intent to conduct Census 2027.
Houselisting Block Creator (HLBC) Web Application: A digital tool for Charge Officers to create Houselisting Blocks.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Union Home Minister and Minister of
Cooperation Shri Amit Shah soft launches digital
tools and mascots – Pragati (female) and “Vikas”
(male) - for Census-2027, in New Delhi
Census-2027, to be conducted in 2 phases, 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
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
Census-2027's mascots, "Pragati" and "Vikas," symbolize the
equal participation of women and men in fulfilling the resolve
to make India a developed nation by 2047
More than 3 million enumerators, supervisors, and other
officials will be involved in Census 2027 across the country
Posted On: 05 MAR 2026 1:11PM by PIB Delhi
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah soft-launched four digital tools and
formally unveiled the mascots – “Pragati” (female) and “Vikas” (male) for Census-2027 in New Delhi.
The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has developed advanced digital platforms
to facilitate enumeration operations across the country. Several senior officials, including the Union Home
Secretary and the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, were present on the occasion.The Central Government notified its intent to conduct Census 2027 through a Gazette Notification on 16th
June 2025, formally commencing the Census process. Census-2027, to be conducted in 2 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.
MASCOTS "PRAGATI" AND "VIKAS"
The mascots "Pragati" (female enumerator) and "Vikas" (male enumerator) were unveiled to serve as
friendly, relatable faces of the Census-2027. These mascots also symbolize 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 an
effective and citizen-friendly manner across diverse sections of society.FOUR DIGITAL TOOLS
Census 2027 will be India's first Census conducted using digital tools. The four digital platforms soft
launched by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, are:
1. Houselisting Block Creator (HLBC) Web Application: A web-map application that enables Charge
Officers to digitally create Houselisting Blocks using satellite imagery, ensuring standardized geographic
coverage across the country.
2. HLO Mobile Application: A secure offline mobile application for enumerators to collect and upload
Houselisting data. Only enumerators registered on the CMMS Portal can access the application. The app
enables direct field-to-server data transmission, eliminating traditional paperwork. All Houselisting data
will be collected through this app, which can only be operated using registered mobile numbers. The
application is compatible with Android and iOS platforms and it can be operated in 16 regional languages.
3. Self-Enumeration (SE) Portal: For the first time, the option of Self-Enumeration is being introduced.
The SE Portal is a secure web-based facility that allows eligible respondents within a household to submit
their household information online prior to field operations. Upon successful submission, a unique Self-
Enumeration ID (SE ID) will be generated. This Self-Enumeration ID (SE ID) will be shared with the
enumerator on the basis of which enumerator will be able to verify the information.4. Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) Portal: A centralized, web-based digital
platform designed to plan, manage, execute, and monitor all census-related activities across administrative
levels. Officers at Sub-district, District, and State levels can track enumeration progress, field
performance, and operational readiness in real-time through an integrated dashboard.
Under the Census-2027, data will be collected using secure mobile applications by going door-to-door and
complete coverage will be ensured. For this, more than 30 lakh enumerators, supervisors and other Census
officials will be engaged across the country for Census-2027.
This calibrated adoption of technology combines innovation with inclusivity, ensuring that Census 2027
remains accurate, secure and comprehensive.
The Census-2027 exercise will be conducted in two phases:
Phase 1: Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO)
During Phase 1, data on housing conditions and household amenities will be collected while Phase 2 will
record demographic, social, and economic particulars of every person in the country.
Notification for Phase 1 was issued on 7th January 2026. The Houselisting and Housing Census will be
conducted between 1st April 2026 and 30th September 2026, during a 30-day continuous period, notified
by each State/Union Territory. An optional 15-day Self-Enumeration period will precede the house-to-
house survey.
Phase 2: Population Enumeration (PE)
Population Enumeration will be conducted in February 2027 across India. For the Union Territory of
Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and
Uttarakhand, enumeration will take place in September 2026. In the second phase of Census, caste-related
question will also be included.The reference date for Census 2027 will be 00:00 hours of 1st March 2027 for all States and Union
Territories, except for the Union Territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu &
Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, where the reference date will be 00:00 hours of 1st October
2026.
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