Chhattisgarh Prepares for Digital Census 2027 with Over 62,000 Personnel

Chhattisgarh has mobilised more than 62,000 personnel for Census 2027, with the exercise set to be conducted in two phases between May 1, 2026 and February 2027, marking a major step towards a fully digital enumeration process in India.

State Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Manoj Kumar Pingua said the first phase, covering house listing and housing census, will take place from May 1 to May 30 this year. The second phase, focused on population enumeration, is scheduled for February next year.

In a significant shift, the upcoming Census will be conducted digitally for the first time, reflecting a broader move towards data-driven governance and improved efficiency in policymaking. Accurate population data is expected to strengthen welfare delivery and enable more precise resource allocation across sectors.

Authorities have introduced an optional self-enumeration facility, allowing residents to submit their details online between April 16 and April 30. A unique self-enumeration ID will be generated, which must be shared with enumerators during household visits for verification. Officials clarified that enumerators will still visit homes where online submission is not completed, ensuring wider coverage.

Enumerators will collect data using a mobile application, recording responses to 33 questions related to housing conditions, amenities and assets. The use of technology is expected to reduce delays, minimise errors, and enhance transparency in data collection.

At the same time, the digital transition raises concerns over the digital divide and inclusiveness, particularly for populations with limited access to technology or digital literacy. Questions around data privacy and trust in digital systems also remain critical, making robust safeguards and public awareness essential.

The scale of the exercise highlights the need for extensive administrative coordination. The deployment includes 47 principal census officers, 250 district-level officers, 472 charge officers, 1,160 trainers, over 51,300 enumerators, and around 9,000 supervisors.

Officials emphasised that Census operations are governed by the Census Act, 1948 and Census Rules, 1990, under which all personal data collected is kept strictly confidential and cannot be used for taxation, law enforcement or legal proceedings. The data is intended solely for planning and policy formulation.

According to Director of Census Operations Kartikeya Goyal, the exercise will cover all 33 districts, 195 urban bodies, 252 tehsils and nearly 20,000 villages in the state. For implementation, 251 rural and 221 urban charge units have been created, comprising around 49,000 house listing blocks.

A toll-free helpline (1855) will be operational from April 16 to assist citizens.

While the digital Census 2027 presents an opportunity to modernise governance and improve administrative efficiency, its success will depend on balancing technological advancement with accessibility, inclusiveness, data security and public trust.