India to Launch First Fully Digital Census from April 1
House listing phase begins across states; mobile apps, self-enumeration to drive data collection
- Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India announces digital Census rollout
- First phase begins April 1 across eight states and UTs
- Around 30 lakh enumerators to use mobile apps
- Citizens can self-enumerate via online portal
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 30th March: India is set to roll out its first fully digital Census from April 1, marking a major shift in the way demographic data is collected and managed across the country.
According to Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, the nationwide exercise will be conducted in two phases, beginning with the House Listing and Housing Census.
In this phase, citizens will be asked to answer 33 detailed questions covering household conditions, infrastructure, and access to basic amenities such as water, sanitation, cooking fuel and digital connectivity.
The second phase, Population Enumeration, will capture individual-level data, including caste information, which will be recorded electronically for the first time.
The Census will deploy around 30 lakh enumerators equipped with mobile applications available on Android and iOS platforms. The apps support 16 languages and can function offline, ensuring coverage even in remote and rural areas.
For the first time, citizens will also have the option of self-enumeration through an official portal. After submitting their details, they will receive a unique Self-Enumeration ID to share with census officials during verification visits.
Officials clarified that no documents are required for participation and assured that all collected data will remain strictly confidential.
The housing phase is scheduled to run between April and September 2026, with timelines varying across states, while the reference date for the Census has been set as midnight of March 1, 2027.
With a budget allocation of ₹11,718.24 crore and involvement of over 6.39 lakh administrative units, the Census is expected to play a crucial role in shaping future policy decisions and development planning.
The Census authority has urged citizens to participate actively and provide accurate information, calling it an exercise of national importance.
