Census 2027 begins with digital self-enumeration in phase I

New Delhi: The Census 2027, the world's largest enumeration exercise, began on Wednesday with the government launching Phase I - Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO). This marks the start of the country's biggest administrative and statistical exercise, and for the first time, features digital data capture and a self-enumeration facility, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.

The exercise was formally initiated with President Droupadi Murmu completing self-enumeration, followed by Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also urged citizens to participate through the self-enumeration option.

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In the first phase, the self-enumeration process has begun in eight States and Union Territories - Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, Sikkim, and select areas of the national capital, including the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Delhi Cantonment Board. Around 55,000 households availed the facility on the first day.