 The exercise, which is India’s 16th Census and the eighth since Independence, formally began on April 1 with the House Listing and Housing Census phase. 

Census 2027 starts: Why counting over 1.4 billion Indians matters for policy and representation

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan said on Monday that the census, India’s 16th since inception and eighth after Independence, will be the world’s largest enumeration exercise.

Census 2027: How to do self-enumeration, key steps and deadline you must not miss

The exercise will blend in-person surveys with a digital option where residents can submit information through a multilingual smartphone application that integrates satellite-based mapping.

Census 2027 begins today: India’s first-ever digital population count, 7 key facts you must know

<p>In the FAQ answered by the Census Self Enumeration portal, a “live-in” couple will be considered married if the term their relationship “stable”. It also considers that a spouse leaving away temporarily will be counted as a couple. These policies will be applicable for both self-enumeration in the portal and the in-person interviews.&nbsp;</p><p>“If they consider their relationship as a stable union, they should be treated as a married couple,” read the FAQ. Such a clarification was offered for the first time; such a policy was previously there, but it was spelt out as there is a process of self-enumeration in place. The portal will allow the couple to self-report at their own discretion based on the guidance. No documentation is required from the respondents as proof of marriage.</p><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-digital-census-2026-self-enumeration-caste-npr-details-1774856358751"><strong>First Indian census after 15 years to begin on April 1: Know all the details here</strong></a></p><p>This clarification is part of the first phase of the Census 2027, Houselisting, which will continue from April 1 to September 30. The first 15 days of the 45-day window will be for self-enumeration, and in the next 30 days enumeration period will be conducted by an interviewer. The self-enumeration facility will be available in English and 15 Indian languages on the web portal census.gov.in/se/. Any responsible adult can complete the self-enumeration process by completing an OTP based verification. On successful completion, they will receive a reference ID, which will have to be shared with the enumerator assigned to their locality.</p><p>Self-enumeration in the NDMC area of Delhi starts on April 1. This is the first census since 2011, the 16th Indian census in the series and the 8th census since Indian Independence. It is also the first digital census in India, with a budget of ₹11,718.24 crore.&nbsp;</p>

India’s digital Census 2027 allows live-in couples to be counted as married if the relationship is stable. No proof required in self-enumeration.

In the FAQ answered by the Census Self Enumeration portal, a “live-in” couple will be considered married if the term their relationship “stable”. It also considers that a spouse leaving away temporarily will be counted as a couple. These policies will be applicable for both self-enumeration in the portal and the in-person interviews. “If they consider their relationship as a stable union, they should be treated as a married couple,” read the FAQ. Such a clarification was offered for the first time; such a policy was previously there, but it was spelt out as there is a process of self-enumeration in place. The portal will allow the couple to self-report at their own discretion based on the guidance. No documentation is required from the respondents as proof of marriage. Also Read: First Indian census after 15 years to begin on April 1: Know all the details here This clarification is part of the first phase of the Census 2027, Houselisting, which will continue from April 1 to September 30. The first 15 days of the 45-day window will be for self-enumeration, and in the next 30 days enumeration period will be conducted by an interviewer. The self-enumeration facility will be available in English and 15 Indian languages on the web portal census.gov.in/se/. Any responsible adult can complete the self-enumeration process by completing an OTP based verification. On successful completion, they will receive a reference ID, which will have to be shared with the enumerator assigned to their locality. Self-enumeration in the NDMC area of Delhi starts on April 1. This is the first census since 2011, the 16th Indian census in the series and the 8th census since Indian Independence. It is also the first digital census in India, with a budget of ₹11,718.24 crore.

<p>India’s digital Census 2027 allows live-in couples to be counted as married if the relationship is stable. No proof required in self-enumeration.</p>

India Census 2027: Live-in couples to be counted as married if relationship is ‘stable'

<p>The Union Government has announced the first digital census of India to be conducted on April 1. This is the first census since 2011, the 16th Indian census in the series and the 8th census since Indian Independence. The 2027 census will be conducted in two phases, first phase, House Listing and Housing Census (HLO) and the second phase, Population Enumeration (PE). The first phase will start from April 1, 2026, and continue till September 30, 2026. The first phase will provide data on housing conditions, amenities available, and assets possessed by households and provide a framework for the second phase on sociocultural and economic data. The total budget for the complete process is ₹11,718.24 crore.</p><h2>First Digital Census of India</h2><p>Data will be collected through an app by the enumerator. There will be 16 different languages for the first phase of the data collection. The Union Government has introduced the process of “Self Enumeration”. Each respondent will have the opportunity to provide the required information digitally in the first 15 days of the census, before the 30 days when the enumerator will be listing house to house. &nbsp;The user can register for self-enumeration in the dedicated web portal liekly at se.censusindia.gov.in, and they will receive a reference ID, which will have to be shared with the enumerator assigned to their locality. The self-enumeration portal will reportedly be available in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.&nbsp;</p><h2>How will the data security be assured?</h2><p>Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, suggested that the data security will be assured by “reputed agencies”. There will be an end-to-end data security from data collection, transmission to the server level. The data will be stored in an encrypted form with the assistance of the cybersecurity agencies. In case of data manipulation at the individual level, the enumerator will verify the details listed by the respondent.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/eci-bjp-kerala-circular-controversy-clerical-error-explained-1774444530252"><strong>Why ECI’s 'clerical error' explanation on BJP Kerala Circular is facing scrutiny?</strong></a></p><h2>Will there be caste enumeration?</h2><p>The caste enumeration will be conducted in the second phase. However, it is not clear if there will be registery of caste or the caste will be enumerated as a direct response.&nbsp;</p><h2>Will there be an NPR update?</h2><p>Despite previous plans to align the NPR with the house-listing phase of the Census, there will be no provision to update the National Population register in the Census 2027.&nbsp;</p>

India’s first digital Census starts April 1, 2026. Learn about self-enumeration, phases, caste data, security measures, and why NPR won’t be updated.

The Union Government has announced the first digital census of India to be conducted on April 1. This is the first census since 2011, the 16th Indian census in the series and the 8th census since Indian Independence. The 2027 census will be conducted in two phases, first phase, House Listing and Housing Census (HLO) and the second phase, Population Enumeration (PE). The first phase will start from April 1, 2026, and continue till September 30, 2026. The first phase will provide data on housing conditions, amenities available, and assets possessed by households and provide a framework for the second phase on sociocultural and economic data. The total budget for the complete process is ₹11,718.24 crore. First Digital Census of India Data will be collected through an app by the enumerator. There will be 16 different languages for the first phase of the data collection. The Union Government has introduced the process of “Self Enumeration”. Each respondent will have the opportunity to provide the required information digitally in the first 15 days of the census, before the 30 days when the enumerator will be listing house to house. The user can register for self-enumeration in the dedicated web portal liekly at se.censusindia.gov.in, and they will receive a reference ID, which will have to be shared with the enumerator assigned to their locality. The self-enumeration portal will reportedly be available in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. How will the data security be assured? Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, suggested that the data security will be assured by “reputed agencies”. There will be an end-to-end data security from data collection, transmission to the server level. The data will be stored in an encrypted form with the assistance of the cybersecurity agencies. In case of data manipulation at the individual level, the enumerator will verify the details listed by the respondent. Also Read: Why ECI’s 'clerical error' explanation on BJP Kerala Circular is facing scrutiny? Will there be caste enumeration? The caste enumeration will be conducted in the second phase. However, it is not clear if there will be registery of caste or the caste will be enumerated as a direct response. Will there be an NPR update? Despite previous plans to align the NPR with the house-listing phase of the Census, there will be no provision to update the National Population register in the Census 2027.

<p>India’s first digital Census starts April 1, 2026. Learn about self-enumeration, phases, caste data, security measures, and why NPR won’t be updated.</p>

First Indian census after 15 years to begin on April 1: Know all the details here

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Census 2027 starts: Why counting over 1.4 billion Indians matters for policy and representation

Census 2027: How to do self-enumeration, key steps & deadline you must not miss

Census 2027: 7 key facts about India’s first-ever digital population count

Live-in couples to be counted as married in census if relationship is ‘stable'

First Indian census in 15 years to begin on April 1: Know all the details here