World’s largest Census 2027: Digital, secure, and open for self-enumeration from April 1

India is set to conduct its 16th Census , the largest in the world, starting on April 1, 2026 , in select states and Union Territories. For the first time, the Census will be fully digital , and citizens will have the option of Self-Enumeration , allowing them to submit household information online before enumerators make door-to-door visits.

Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan , emphasized that all individual data is strictly confidential under Section 15 of the Census Act . He clarified that the information cannot be shared with any organization, used in court, requested under RTI, or affect eligibility for government schemes. Only aggregate statistical data will be used for policy planning and research.

The first phase , focusing on House Listing and Housing Census , will run from April 16 to May 15 in states including Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Sikkim , while the Self-Enumeration window will be open from April 1 to April 15 . Respondents can submit information in 16 languages , and each household will receive a Self-Enumeration ID to be shared with enumerators during verification.

Data collection will be conducted via a mobile app , supported by a web-based portal for monitoring and management. Critical Information Infrastructure safeguards have been implemented to ensure security and prevent any misuse.

Phase II, the Population Enumeration , is scheduled for February 2027 , covering demographic, socio-economic, education, migration, fertility, and caste data. The Census will be conducted across 36 states and UTs, 7,092 sub-districts, 5,128 statutory towns, and over 6 lakh villages , involving over 3 million officials, enumerators, and supervisors .

Citizens are urged to provide accurate information, assured that the Census is secure, confidential, and purely statistical, with no link to any government benefits or schemes. With digital innovation and robust security measures, Census 2027 aims to deliver timely, reliable data that will guide India’s planning and policymaking for the coming decade.