Delhi census: Second phase of self-enumeration likely to begin Jan 10

Training will cover digital data collection, privacy concerns and security, while the questionnaire includes a caste question.

A 15-day self-enumeration phase of the 2027 census is likely to begin on January 10 in Delhi, followed by door-to-door visits by enumerators from January 25 to February 28, officials said on Thursday.

The census is being carried out in two phases­­ – house-listing, which has already been done, and population enumeration, which started for snow-clad areas of Himalayan states after online self-enumeration closed on August 31. (Representative photo)

The census is being carried out in two phases­­ – house-listing, which has already been done, and population enumeration, which started for snow-clad areas of Himalayan states after online self-enumeration closed on August 31. This is the first time in independent India that enumerators will ask a question on caste.

The Directorate of Census Operations, Delhi, held a training session at the Delhi Secretariat on Thursday for district magistrates, additional district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates, briefing them on the progress of the first phase and preparations for the next stage. Chief secretary Rajeev Verma had also held a meeting with district magistrates on October 13, directing them to sensitise the public.

The houselisting phase of the census was conducted in the MCD areas from May 16 to June 15 while in NDMC areas it went on April 16 to May 15. The self-enumeration and house visit phase of the census has already been conducted in the snow-bound regions of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand between August 17 and September 30, 2026.

The dates for other states and UTs are not known. Enumerators and supervisors are likely to undergo three-day training between November and December.

More than 50,000 enumerators were deployed for the first phase, with Delhi divided into over 46,500 houselisting blocks. While the first phase was conducted in two stages — initially in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Delhi Cantonment Board areas, followed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) areas — the second phase will cover the entire Capital simultaneously, another official said.

Total coverage in Phase 2

Census questions and data privacy

In August, the Union government notified 40 questions, including a query on caste for the first time in independent India, to be asked of respondents. The order from Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan notified 11 questions more than the 2011 Census, the last time the exercise was conducted in India. Among the new questions were those asking for parental details, and others on passports, Aadhaar, Voter ID and mobile number, driving licence, and Covid-19 vaccination details, and permanent residential address –– which raised privacy concerns.

The question on caste was listed as question number 10 in the notification – as “scheduled caste/scheduled tribe/caste” – in open-ended format, which means Census officers will record the caste of a person as declared, without any requirement to match it to pre-prepared lists.

Originally scheduled for 2021, the census was initially postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Data collection is targeted to conclude by March 1, 2027, but officials say the collation and publication of results will take two to three years. The exercise is likely to stamp India’s status as the world’s most-populous nation.

Security and public awareness

Senior police officers also attended Thursday’s training session and were directed to sensitise beat staff and police stations about the need to provide security to enumerators. Station house officers were asked to coordinate with charge officers and ensure security, wherever required.

“Concerns were flagged about certain sensitive areas where people may be apprehensive about sharing details. It was advised that adequate security be deployed during the door-to-door exercise,” an official said.

The Directorate of Census Operations will launch awareness campaigns through radio jingles, posters at metro stations, billboards and public announcements. Enumerators will also be trained to address residents’ concerns, particularly regarding the collection of personal information, including details about bank accounts.

“People will be assured that their data will remain confidential and will not be leaked,” an official said.

Information collected and digital tools

Questions on education will cover literacy and digital literacy, attendance at educational institutions, highest educational qualification and stream or discipline. Respondents will also be asked about their employment status during the previous year, occupation, economic activity, industry or trade, nature of work and travel to their workplace.

Census 2027 is being conducted using digital tools for the first time, with data collected through a dedicated mobile application while retaining the traditional door-to-door enumeration process.