India to Launch Digital Census 2027: Key Details Announced

NEW DELHI: The Indian government has announced an allocation of ₹11,718.24 crore for the upcoming Census of India, scheduled to commence in April 2027. This census is set to be the largest headcount in the world and will be conducted in two distinct phases: Housing Enlisting and Population Enumeration.

During a press briefing following the Union cabinet meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted that the 2027 Census will be the first of its kind to utilise a digital format. He stated, "The digital design of the census has been made keeping in mind data protection."

One significant aspect of this census is the inclusion of social status and caste enumeration. Approximately 3 million personnel will be deployed to carry out the census activities, which involve visiting every household and administering separate questionnaires for housing and population data.

The enumerators, primarily government teachers appointed by state governments, will conduct the fieldwork alongside their regular responsibilities. The census workforce will consist of various roles, including enumerators, supervisors, master trainers, charge officers, and principal or district census officers. All personnel involved will receive appropriate remuneration for their contributions to the census, undertaken in addition to their standard duties.

The government aims to deliver census data as promptly as possible across the nation. Minister Vaishnaw elaborated on the digital initiatives, stating that data collection will be facilitated through mobile applications compatible with both Android and iOS devices. A dedicated platform, the Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS), has been developed to oversee and manage the entire census process in real-time.

Another innovative feature for Census 2027 is the Houselisting Block (HLB) Creator web mapping application, intended for use by charge officers. The public will also have the option to self-enumerate, with strong security measures in place for this extensive digital operation.

Additionally, the government plans to enhance the dissemination of census results with customised visualisation tools, ensuring that data is accessible down to the lowest administrative level, including villages and wards. The provision of technical manpower at the charge, district, and state levels will facilitate capacity building, particularly in digital data management, monitoring, and coordination, potentially improving future employment opportunities for these individuals.

The Census serves as a crucial source of primary data at the village, town, and ward levels, offering detailed insights into various parameters such as housing conditions, amenities and assets, demographics, religion, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe statistics, languages, literacy, education, economic activities, migration, and fertility rates.

The conduct of the Census is governed by the Census Act of 1948 and the Census Rules established in 1990, which provide the necessary legal framework for this extensive undertaking.