India will begin its first fully digital population Census from tomorrow, marking the eighth such exercise since Independence. The enumeration will be conducted in two phases, combining online self-declaration with in-person visits by enumerators.
The Census, held once every 10 years, was originally planned for 2021 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This time, a new “self-declaration” facility allows citizens to enter their own details through a dedicated portal.
According to Registrar General and Census Commissioner Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, the portal has been created in 16 languages, including Tamil, English, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Urdu and others. Those who submit details online will receive a 16-digit identification number, which can be shared with the enumerator during the household visit.
Officials said residents need not provide documents such as Aadhaar or voter ID to the enumerator, as data will be recorded through a mobile application. The first phase will cover house listing and housing details with 33 questions, involving around 31 lakh enumerators; the second phase will cover population enumeration, including collection of caste and religion data, with questions to be announced later.
Authorities said information provided by the public will be kept confidential under the Census Act, and cannot be sought as court evidence or through the Right to Information Act. Data will be encrypted and stored on servers with support from cyber security agencies, while state-wise schedules will vary for self-entry and door-to-door enumeration.
