Census to begin in NDMC, Cantt areas on April 1, rest of Delhi May 1

Census 2027 data collection starts April 1 in NDMC and Cantonment areas; MCD begins May 1. Self-enumeration available for the first time.

The first round of data collection for Census 2027 will begin for residents of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Delhi Cantonment areas on April 1, while the remaining residents of the city under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will be covered starting May 1, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India announced Monday.

Starting April 1, residents of NDMC and Delhi Cantonment will have the option of self-enumeration, said census commissioner of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan. (Photo: ANI)

Starting April 1, residents of NDMC and Delhi Cantonment will have the option of self-enumeration, said census commissioner of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan. He said self-enumeration for MCD areas will take place from May 1 to May 15. The self-enumeration phase takes place during a 15-day window preceding the start of the house-listing operation (HLO) -- the first rollout of officials for the census. Citizens will have the option to provide their own data by visiting the self-enumeration website, registering, and submitting information, after which a 16-digit code will be generated.

“This code shall be shared with the enumerator when he visits the household, where he would verify the information shared digitally. Citizens can make any necessary corrections at this stage. Once verified, the information shall be submitted,” Narayan said.

The house-listing operation of the exercise, Narayan said, will run in two 30-day windows: April 16 to May 15 for NDMC and Delhi Cantonment, and May 16 to June 15 for MCD areas. HLO is the first rollout of officials for the census, under which all buildings and households are systematically mapped, listed, and geo-tagged to collect data on housing conditions, amenities, and asset ownership, acting as the foundation for subsequent population enumeration.

For the first time, the Census will be conducted digitally, and self-enumeration will be available. More than three million enumerators, supervisors, and other officials will be involved across the country. Enumerators will collect and submit data directly through a mobile app, and the self-enumeration portal will be available in 16 languages, including Hindi and English.

The last Census of India was conducted in 2011. Census 2027 will be the 16th in the series and the 8th since Independence.