Self-Enumeration Begins in Tamil Nadu and Tripura for Census 2027
Phase 1 of Census 2027 is underway with the launch of self-enumeration in Tamil Nadu and Tripura.
Self-enumeration has begun in Tamil Nadu and Tripura as part of Phase 1 of Census 2027, marking the start of the decennial population count in these two states. The Census of India, conducted every ten years, was last held in 2011; the 2021 exercise was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent logistical challenges. This phase introduces a digital self-enumeration option, allowing residents to fill out census schedules online before field enumeration begins.
Self-enumeration opened on Tuesday in Tamil Nadu and Tripura, launching the first phase of the postponed 2027 Census and marking the first time residents can complete the decennial questionnaire online before field workers arrive (PIB). The window allows households to log on to the census portal, authenticate with a mobile number, and fill out the schedule at their own pace, after which enumerators will verify the entries during the subsequent door-to-door round.
The Census of India has been conducted every ten years since 1881, but the 2021 exercise was deferred because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the logistical backlog that followed. Tuesday’s start in the two states is the first operational step toward the next full count, now scheduled for 2027. Officials said the digital self-enumeration module is designed to reduce the time enumerators spend at each doorstep and to improve data accuracy by letting respondents enter details directly.
Tamil Nadu and Tripura were selected for the initial rollout, though the Press Information Bureau release did not specify the criteria used to choose them. The self-enumeration portal will remain open for a defined period before the field phase begins; the release did not state the exact closing date. No figures on early registrations or completion rates were provided.
The 2027 Census will be the sixteenth in the unbroken series and the first to offer a comprehensive online self-reporting option nationwide. Until now, the exercise has relied entirely on physical schedules canvassed by millions of enumerators. The shift to a hybrid model follows pilot tests conducted in select districts during the intervening years, but the PIB note did not disclose results from those trials.
What remains unclear is the timeline for extending self-enumeration to the remaining states and union territories, and whether the digital option will be available in all languages when the full operation commences.
PIB