India First Digital Census has officially begun preparations with the launch of new digital platforms for Census 2027. The initiatives were unveiled in New Delhi by Amit Shah, marking a major step toward modernising India’s population survey system. The census will involve more than three million enumerators, supervisors and officials, making it the world’s largest enumeration exercise. To improve efficiency and transparency, the government has introduced technology-driven processes that will reduce dependence on paper-based data collection.

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To support this transition, four advanced digital platforms developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing have been launched. The Houselisting Block Creator (HLBC) Web Application will use satellite imagery and web-mapping technology to create standardised houselisting blocks across the country. Another tool, the HLO Mobile Application, will allow enumerators to collect housing information through a secure offline mobile interface and upload the data once internet connectivity becomes available.

Introduction of Self-Enumeration Option

A key feature of the India First Digital Census is the introduction of a self-enumeration option for citizens. For the first time in India’s census history, households will be able to submit their census information online through a secure portal available in 16 languages. This new system aims to simplify the data collection process and make participation easier for people across the country.

Once citizens submit their details online, the system will generate a unique Self-Enumeration ID. During door-to-door visits, census enumerators will verify the information using this ID. The new self-enumeration process is expected to reduce the workload of field officials and improve the accuracy of the collected data.

Mascots to Promote Public Awareness

To increase public awareness and encourage participation, two mascots named Pragati and Vikas have been introduced for the Census 2027 campaign. Pragati represents a female enumerator, while Vikas represents a male enumerator. These mascots symbolise the equal participation of women and men in the national mission of collecting reliable population data.

Officials say the mascots will be widely used in outreach programmes, advertisements and awareness campaigns across the country. They are also intended to highlight the importance of accurate census data in planning India’s development and policy decisions leading up to 2047.

Two-Phase Structure of Census 2027

The India First Digital Census will be conducted in two major phases. The first phase, known as the Houselisting and Housing Census, will collect information about housing conditions and household amenities. This phase will take place between April 1 and September 30, 2026, during a 30-day period notified by each state or union territory. A 15-day self-enumeration window will be available before the door-to-door survey begins.

The second phase, Population Enumeration, will record demographic, social and economic details of every individual and is scheduled for February 2027. However, for snow-bound areas such as Ladakh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, enumeration will be conducted earlier in September 2026. The reference date for most regions will be midnight of March 1, 2027.