New Delhi, June 1: The first phase of the 2027 Census begins today, with over 374,000 residents of Gujarat already registering their information through self-enumeration. Officials describe this census as India’s first fully digital count.
This marks the 16th census in the country’s history and the eighth since independence. The census will be conducted in two phases across Gujarat and the rest of India. The last census took place in 2011.
Census Director Sujal Mayatra urged all citizens to participate in this nationwide counting initiative. He stated, “House listing and housing census will occur from June 1 to June 30. During this phase, enumerators will ask a total of 33 questions, covering aspects such as housing conditions, family information, sources of drinking water, and sanitation facilities.”
The first phase, known as House Listing and Housing Census (HLHC), will gather data on housing conditions, household composition, availability of drinking water, sanitation facilities, and more.
This survey will take place in all districts, municipal corporations, municipalities, and villages across Gujarat. The second phase, which includes population enumeration (PE) and caste counting, is scheduled from February 9 to February 28, 2027.
According to census officials, this phase will also involve collecting caste data alongside the nationwide census. Mayatra added, “During this phase, caste enumeration will be conducted, and the caste census will be completed across the country.”
Officials reported that the self-enumeration campaign in Gujarat, which began on May 17, saw participation from Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, cabinet members, chief secretaries, district collectors, municipal commissioners, and other citizens, all of whom submitted their information online.
As of May 30, over 374,000 citizens had filled out self-enumeration forms for the 2027 Census. Of these, approximately 330,000 forms were successfully submitted, while around 44,000 forms were still being processed.
The census in Gujarat will cover 110,598 house listing blocks (HLBs) and will be conducted by 109,038 enumerators, supported by 18,254 supervisors. To prepare for this task, enumerators, supervisors, and other census officials received training in three phases. Officials emphasized that modern technology will play a crucial role in this year’s census.
Special Android and iOS apps have been developed in 16 languages, including Gujarati, with offline data collection capabilities to facilitate counting in areas with limited internet access.
A unique ‘self-enumeration’ option has also been introduced, allowing individuals to submit their information directly through a government portal.
Census officials stressed that all information collected under the Census Act of 1948 and Census Rules of 1990 will remain strictly confidential.
They stated, “All personal information collected under the Census Act of 1948 and Census Rules of 1990 will be kept completely confidential. This information cannot be used for legal or tax-related matters.”
Officials further noted that it is legally mandatory for every citizen to provide accurate and complete information during the census. The law also stipulates that individuals who refuse to provide information may face penalties.
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