Census 2027 will mark a big shift in how India counts its people, as it goes completely digital. At the centre of this change is the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS). It is a dedicated digital portal. It will manage one of the world’s largest administrative exercises, PTI reported.
The Union Cabinet has approved Rs. 11,718 crore for the exercise. This will be the 16th Census since Independence. It will also include caste enumeration for the first time. Citizens will get the option of self-enumeration.
The decennial Census was earlier scheduled for 2021, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How will the digital Census work?
Around 3.2 million field functionaries, comprising enumerators and supervisors, will use handheld devices. They will collect detailed demographic, social, and economic data from households. The data will be transmitted and validated through CMMS. This will reduce errors and cut down compilation time, Live Mint reported.
"The ensuing Census 2027 will make extensive use of digital technology to enhance the quality, efficiency, and timeliness of data collection and dissemination. In the forthcoming Census, data will be collected through digital mode, marking a significant and transformative step towards the modernisation of the Census process," Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan said in a circular to states and Union Territories.
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The system will handle user creation, training modules, houselisting blocks, supervisory circles, and even appointment letters and ID cards. It will allow role-based access and near real-time monitoring.
Geo-tagging to be used
The software will include web-based mapping tools. These will geo-tag houselisting blocks. Officials say this will reduce overlaps and omissions. It will also create a digital spatial archive useful for planning and disaster management, as per Live Mint.
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The Census will take place in two phases. Houselisting and housing census will run from April to September 2026. Population enumeration will follow in February 2027.
The first phase will ask 33 questions. Villages and urban wards will be divided into clearly marked blocks to ensure smooth operations.
