Uttar Pradesh Initiates Massive Training Drive for Census 2027
The state of Uttar Pradesh has launched extensive preparations for the upcoming Census 2027. Officials confirm that nearly 5.5 lakh enumerators and supervisors will undergo comprehensive training programs. This massive exercise represents India's first census in sixteen years.
Two-Phase Census Operation
The census will proceed in two distinct phases. The House-listing and Housing Census will occur in 2026, followed by Population Enumeration in early 2027. The Ministry of Home Affairs has officially notified that house-listing operations will run from April 1 to September 30, 2026, across all states and union territories.
Each state will conduct this exercise within a specific thirty-day window during this period. Uttar Pradesh has selected May 22 to June 20, 2026, for its house-listing activities.
Structured Training Cascade
The training process follows a carefully structured cascade system. Eight officers from Uttar Pradesh recently completed their training as "national trainers" in Delhi. These individuals will now train approximately 300 master trainers.
These master trainers will subsequently train nearly 7,000 field trainers. Finally, these field trainers will conduct training sessions for the 5.5 lakh enumerator supervisors and enumerators who will execute the census on the ground.
Officials have established a clear supervisory structure. One enumerator supervisor will oversee every six enumerators during field operations.
House-Listing Details and Digital Transition
The house-listing phase involves a thorough door-to-door survey of every structure across the country. Enumerators will collect detailed information about housing conditions and household amenities.
They will record specific details including building usage, construction materials, room numbers, ownership status, and access to essential services. The survey will also document availability of water, electricity, toilets, cooking fuel, and ownership of assets like phones, vehicles, and televisions.
Census 2027 marks India's first completely digital census. Enumerators will use mobile applications on their smartphones to enter all housing census and population enumeration data directly.
Preparation and Administrative Measures
Authorities conducted a pre-test of the House-listing and Housing Census in selected areas. These included Anoopshahar tehsil in Bulandshahr district, Mihinpurwa tehsil in Bahraich district, and several wards of the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation.
Officials described this exercise as a "full-dress rehearsal." Enumerators successfully visited houses in assigned areas and entered housing details into the mobile application on their smartphones.
Important administrative measures will accompany the census process. All administrative units in Uttar Pradesh will remain frozen as of December 31, 2025. No jurisdictional changes will occur in any administrative unit from January 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027.
Coordination and New Features
The State-Level Census Coordination Committee recently held a meeting chaired by UP Chief Secretary S P Goyal. Discussions focused on census operations and officer deployment for fieldwork.
Director of Census Operations Sheetal Verma presented important information during this meeting. She revealed that citizens will have access to self-enumeration facilities for the first time in census history.
Uttar Pradesh's General Administration department has received designation as the state nodal department. It will coordinate with various departments throughout the census exercise.
Population Enumeration and Caste Census
Population enumeration will occur between February 9 and February 28, 2027. This phase will collect individual-level data including age, education, occupation, religion, caste, migration patterns, and disability status.
A revisional round for the population census will follow from March 1 to March 5, 2027. The caste census will proceed alongside the population census, with questions for castes other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to be announced later.
Scale and Historical Context
The scale of operations has expanded significantly since the previous census. During the 2011 Census, Uttar Pradesh deployed over 4 lakh enumerators for the decadal exercise.
Officials explain that the increased number of enumerators for 2027 reflects the state's population growth over the past decade. This expansion ensures comprehensive coverage and accurate data collection across India's most populous state.
