Census 2027 House-Listing Operations Commence in Delhi with Door-to-Door Visits
Starting from April 16, government enumerators have initiated door-to-door house-listing operations in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Delhi Cantonment areas as part of the preparatory phase for Census 2027. This critical exercise follows the conclusion of a fortnight-long self-enumeration process that allowed residents to submit their data online from April 1 to 15.
Verification and Data Freezing Process Underway
During the door-to-door visits, which will continue until May 15, enumerators are tasked with verifying the entries made by residents during the self-enumeration period. They will correct any discrepancies and then freeze the data to ensure accuracy. Households that did not participate in the online self-enumeration will be fully covered during these physical visits, ensuring comprehensive data collection across the designated areas.
The enumerators are equipped with a set of 33 detailed questions covering various parameters. These include building and house numbers, structural aspects such as materials used for floors, walls, and roofs, as well as household-level data like the number of residents and socio-economic categories. This thorough approach aims to gather precise and reliable information for the upcoming census.
Self-Enumeration Eases Burden and Enhances Efficiency
Nearly 5,000 residents, including high-profile dignitaries such as the President, Prime Minister, and Union Home Minister, have already completed their self-enumeration using the CMMS app or the official portal. An official highlighted that this pre-filled data significantly reduces the workload for enumerators during door-to-door visits.
"The self-enumeration will ease the burden on the enumerators when they undertake the door-to-door visits as they will already have access to pre-filled and verified data," the official stated. "This will reduce the time spent on collecting basic information and allow them to focus on verification and fill in any missing details quickly. It will also minimise errors, avoid duplication and make the process more efficient. As a result, the door-to-door visits will be quicker and smoother while ensuring more accurate and reliable data collection."
Pilot Rollout in NDMC and Delhi Cantonment Areas
The self-enumeration exercise was first launched in NDMC and Delhi Cantonment due to their suitability as pilot areas. These regions are relatively sparsely populated and house many residents, including Members of Parliament, senior government officers, and other functionaries, often in government facilities. Their higher literacy levels and better digital access facilitated the online enumeration process, allowing authorities to test the system effectively before a broader expansion across Delhi.
For the on-ground house-listing exercise, over 569 enumerators have been deployed. The areas have been divided into 560 house-listing blocks, each comprising an average of approximately 180 houses. During the visits from April 16 to May 15, enumerators will conduct physical verification using a dedicated mobile application to collect data digitally, which ensures higher accuracy and faster processing.
Cooperation Urged for Successful Census Execution
Residents have been urged to cooperate with the enumerators and actively participate in the Census exercise. Officials emphasized that this census is being conducted after nearly one-and-a-half decades, making it a crucial national endeavor. Households that completed self-enumeration are required to share their self-enumeration ID (SE ID) for verification during the door-to-door visits.
In a broader context, around 12 lakh households across seven states and Union territories—Andaman and Nicobar, Goa, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Sikkim—along with parts of Delhi, including NDMC and Delhi Cantonment Board areas, have successfully completed self-enumeration during the 15-day window ahead of Census 2027's Phase I. This widespread participation underscores the importance of digital initiatives in modern census operations.
