President Droupadi Murmu Kicks Off Digital Census 2027 with Online Self-Enumeration
In a historic move, President Droupadi Murmu, as India's first citizen, officially launched Census 2027 on Wednesday by participating in the inaugural houselisting phase. The event, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, saw the President self-enumerate her household details through the official portal, se.census.gov.in, setting a precedent for the nation's first fully digital census.
High-Level Participation in the Digital Census Initiative
The self-enumeration process was conducted in the presence of key officials, including Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Registrar General of India Mritynjay Kumar Narayan, along with other senior figures. This marks a significant shift from traditional methods, as Census 2027 leverages digital tools for data collection, aiming to enhance accuracy and efficiency in counting India's vast population.
Following the President's lead, Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also completed their self-enumeration forms online. Prime Minister Modi emphasized the milestone on social media, stating, "Completed my self-enumeration. Today marks the beginning of the first phase of Census 2027, relating to house listing and housing operations. This census is the first time data collection is being done through digital means." Union Home Minister Amit Shah similarly participated through the portal, underscoring the government's commitment to this technological advancement.
Nationwide Rollout of the Houselisting Phase
The houselisting operations have commenced in 11 states and Union Territories, including Delhi, where self-enumeration is active in areas such as the NDMC and Delhi Cantonment. This 45-day window is designed to facilitate comprehensive data gathering on housing and household details, paving the way for the main census phase. By convention, the President's participation symbolizes the official start of the nationwide count, reinforcing the importance of citizen involvement in this critical national exercise.
The transition to a digital framework is expected to streamline processes, reduce errors, and provide real-time insights into demographic trends. As India embraces this innovative approach, the success of Census 2027 could set a benchmark for future population surveys globally.
