Ghaziabad and Noida Launch Preparations for Historic Digital Census 2027
Officials in Ghaziabad and Noida have announced that preparations for Census 2027 are now in full swing, with the crucial house listing and housing enumeration phase set to take place from May 22 to June 20. This marks a significant milestone as the exercise will be conducted entirely in digital mode for the first time in India's census history, offering residents the option to self-enumerate online via a dedicated portal.
Ghaziabad Leads with Advanced Planning and Extensive Deployment
In Ghaziabad, the administration has already made substantial progress by dividing the district into 10,025 enumeration blocks for the initial phase. A robust framework has been established to oversee the process, including the deployment of 16 charge officers, four master trainers, 134 field trainers, and over 1,600 supervisors. Each enumerator will be responsible for covering approximately 150-180 households, which translates to a population of 650-800 people within their designated block. In rural areas, a block may encompass an entire village or a segment of it, while urban areas will see blocks corresponding to clearly demarcated sections of wards.
District census officer Saurabh Bhatt emphasized that officials have undergone comprehensive training to utilize mobile applications and the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) portal for real-time data collection and supervision. A two-day training session for senior officials and charge officers was conducted earlier this month to ensure seamless implementation.
Noida Catches Up Amid Delays in Block Mapping
In contrast, preparations in Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida) are still catching up, with the block-mapping exercise—a prerequisite for appointing enumerators—remaining incomplete. District magistrate Medha Roopam highlighted this delay during a review meeting on Monday, directing officials to expedite the process. She stated, "Demarcation of enumeration blocks is essential before field deployment. Any negligence in census work will not be tolerated."
Despite the setbacks, Noida has appointed 12 charge officers across the district, covering three tehsils, six nagar panchayats, and three development authorities. However, block demarcation under the Noida Authority is still pending. On a positive note, the district has initiated capacity building efforts, with three master trainers trained at the state level. These trainers will conduct sessions for 72 field trainers between March 23 and 25, who will subsequently train more than 4,000 enumerators and supervisors tasked with field data collection.
Digital Transformation and Future Phases of Census 2027
Officials from both districts confirmed that they are preparing for India's first fully digital census, with data to be collected through mobile applications and monitored in real time via the CMMS portal. The self-enumeration feature is expected to significantly reduce the field workload, though verification by enumerators will remain mandatory to ensure accuracy and completeness.
The census process will unfold in multiple phases. Following the house listing from May to June, the second phase, covering population and caste enumeration, is scheduled from February 9 to 28, 2025. A revision round will then take place from March 1 to 5, 2025, to address any discrepancies or updates. This structured approach aims to deliver a comprehensive and reliable demographic dataset for planning and policy-making.
