Self-enumeration under Census 2027 began in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gujarat, and Puducherry on Sunday. It will be followed by housing listing and housing census field operations from June 1 to June 30. Self-enumeration is also currently underway in Uttar Pradesh. Houselisting operations are currently in progress in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana, and Uttarakhand. The self-enumeration facility, introduced for the first time, continues to receive an encouraging response from the public. More than 1.44 crore households have already completed self-enumeration through the official portal. The initiative marks a significant step towards the digitisation of Census operations. It offers residents a convenient and secure platform to participate in the process. Households that have not opted for self-enumeration will be covered during the physical house-to-house visit by enumerators. For the first time, Census 2027 is being conducted using digital tools while retaining the traditional door-to-door enumeration process to ensure comprehensive and accurate coverage. During field visits, enumerators will be collecting data digitally through a dedicated mobile application. During this phase, information relating to housing conditions, household details, amenities available, and assets possessed by households will be collected through a structured questionnaire comprising 33 questions. The data collected form an important basis for evidence-based planning and implementation of welfare and development programmes. All data collected under the Census Act, 1948, remains strictly confidential and is used solely for statistical purposes and development planning. Census is a cornerstone of governance and plays a vital role in policy formulation, administrative planning, infrastructure development, and urban planning. According to the 2011 census, the united Jammu and Kashmir population was 1,25, 41,302. Of which males and females were 6,640,662 and 5,900,640, respectively. It included Ladakh, which was then part of J&K. Nearly 68.31 % of people were Muslims, while 28.44 % were Hindus. Christians were 0.28%; Jains were 0.02%, Buddhists were 0.90%, and Sikhs were 1.87%. The census data plays a pivotal role in determining the share of states and Union Territories in various Finance Commission allocations and government development programmes. People should participate in the exercise without fail. It is a window to our future. We need to make it successful for our future generation. We must share correct information. Wrong information will be prejudicial to our UT. Community leaders, moholla committees, masjid administration, and social influencers should use their influence to motivate people for self-enumeration. The government should also simplify the process. Our senior citizens are technology-challenged. The government needs to ensure they too register without hassles. The government enumerators, too, have a responsibility to ensure that the entire population is counted.
Census 2027 begins
