Goa Pioneers India's First Digital Census with Self-Enumeration Portal
Panaji: In a landmark move for India's administrative framework, the nation's inaugural digital Census commences in Goa starting Wednesday. The self-enumeration portal is now accessible to citizens, facilitating entries for the initial phase of house-listing and housing census until April 15.
Multilingual Accessibility and Extensive Training
Cheshta Yadav, Director of Census operations, announced that Konkani is included among the 15 languages available for users to input their data, ensuring broad accessibility. To execute this significant exercise, at least 3,000 supervisors and enumerators have undergone comprehensive training in Goa.
Yadav detailed that these trained personnel will initiate field work on April 16, following the conclusion of the self-enumeration period, and complete their duties by May 15. She emphasized that households unable to finish the Census or facing any obstacles will receive assistance from enumerators, who will either complete data entry for them or start anew if no attempt was made.
Digital Verification and Confidentiality Assurance
Given this is the first digital Census, Yadav clarified that data will only be finalized after an enumerator verifies and approves it. She highlighted the importance of Census 2027, describing it as one of the most crucial administrative and statistical endeavors in the country, laying the groundwork for effective planning and policy formulation.
Self-enumeration can be performed via the URL: se.census.gov.in. The second phase, scheduled from February 9 to 28, 2027, will involve population enumeration. Under the Census Act of 1948, all collected data will remain confidential, and citizens are legally obligated to provide accurate and clear information.
Citizen Responsibilities and Safety Measures
Yadav outlined citizens' responsibilities, which include permitting Census staff to enter their homes, allowing house numbering, and supplying correct information to the best of their knowledge. In Goa, teachers have predominantly been trained as enumerators, with 2,467 enumerators and 419 supervisors assigned to Census tasks.
Each enumerator will cover a minimum of 800 persons. For areas with limited internet during self-enumeration, data can be filled offline and uploaded later when connectivity is restored. Yadav assured that citizens concerned about safety can request identity cards from enumerators, scan the barcode, and verify their authenticity.
