India’s Fully Digital Census 2027
The Census of India 2027 marks transformation. Nearly 34 lakh enumerators will collect data using their own smartphones. This will be the first fully digital Census in the country. The mobile applications developed for this purpose will support multiple languages and work on both Android and iOS platforms. The data will be uploaded directly to a central server, ensuring faster and more accurate processing.
Digital Data Collection and Mobile Applications
Enumerators will use dedicated apps to record household data. These apps were initially created for the 2021 Census but have been upgraded to match current mobile technologies. The use of personal smartphones reduces the need for additional hardware. If data is collected on paper due to any issue, it must later be entered into a web portal, avoiding double data entry or scanning. This approach guarantees that data is digitised at the source.
Phases and Language Support
The Census will be conducted in two phases. The houselisting operation will run from April to September 2026. Population enumeration will follow in February 2027 across most states, except Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, where it will start in September 2026. Data collection will be available in English, Hindi, and regional languages. Citizens will also have the option to self-enumerate via a web portal.
Geo-Tagging and Digital Mapping
For the first time, all buildings, residential and non-residential, will be geo-tagged. Enumerators will use Digital Layout Mapping (DLM) to assign unique latitude-longitude coordinates to each building. This geo-tagging will be linked to Houselisting Blocks (HLBs) on a Geographic Information System (GIS) map. This innovation will improve data accuracy and spatial analysis capabilities.
Real-Time Monitoring and Budget
The Registrar General of India (RGI), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is developing a real-time monitoring website for the Census. This will help manage the entire process efficiently. The government has allocated a budget of Rs 14,618.95 crore for the Census. The 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census had also used electronic devices, but these were supplied by Bharat Electronics Limited. The 2027 Census advances this by enabling the use of personal devices and offering self-enumeration.
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