Census 2027: RGI seeks appointments for decadal enumeration by Jan 15

The decadal enumeration exercise is the world’s largest administrative activity and is scheduled in two phases starting April 1, 2026

The registrar general of India (RGI) has asked all states and Union territories to appoint functionaries for the upcoming national Census by January 15, as it gears up to commence the decadal enumeration exercise — the world’s largest administrative activity — in two phases starting April 1, 2026.

The RGI has asked states to send copies of all appointment orders to its office for record purposes. (X)

The RGI has also asked states/UTs to identify enumerators and supervisors — responsible for field data collection — “in advance”, noting that each enumerator will be assigned a population of 700-800 while one supervisor will look after the work of six enumerators. It has also asked states to keep 10% additional enumerators/supervisors in reserve for any contingencies.

“The state government/union territory administration are requested to ensure the appointment of Census functionaries latest by January 15, 2026. The concerned DCOs (directors of census operations) would liaise with the nodal departments in the respective states/UTs for appointment of Census officers as per the need and previous practices,” Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, registrar general and census commissioner of India, said in a circular on November 26.

The RGI has asked states to send copies of all appointment orders to its office for record purposes.

Field exercise for the much-delayed 16th decadal Census — due since 2021 — will be conducted by over 3 million enumerators and supervisors from April 1. The Centre informed Parliament last week that the RGI office was in the process of finalising the questionnaire for Census 2027, which will also include caste-based enumeration.

For the first time, the upcoming Census will be conducted in a digital mode with enumerators and supervisors using their mobile devices for data collection. They will then submit the data to the central server. Mobile applications for the exercise have already been developed in Hindi, English and 14 regional languages, allowing people an option to self-enumerate.

“With all these new initiatives, it becomes all the more important to initiate the appointment of Census officers well in advance and complete all formalities like registration of census functionaries on CMMS (Census Management and Monitoring System) portal with correct and complete details,” Narayan said in the circular, seen by HT.

Teachers, clerks or any official of the state government and local authority, among others, can be appointed as enumerator while supervisor will be generally of a rank higher than enumerator, the RGI said.

Although the appointment of enumerators and supervisors, who will undertake actual data collection, will be done at a later stage, the RGI has stressed the need to identify them well in advance.

In the latest communication, Narayan designated the DCOs (who come under his office directly) as chief principal census officers to supervise the exercise in their respective states/UTs. In districts, collectors will function as principal census officers and in municipal corporations, the role will be performed by the administrative heads.

For certain exclusive areas that fall under the sole occupation and control of defence services, or special colonies under control of railways and forests, Narayan asked the DCOs to determine the special charge officers for the exercise.

The pre-test for the first phase of Census has already been conducted from November 10 to November 30. The government has set March 1, 2027 as the date to complete the Census. Officials, however, maintained that while data collection would be over by March 1, 2027, the entire exercise to collate the data and publish it might take two to three years.

In a separate communication to states/UTs and DCOs on December 4, Narayan asked them to identify and demarcate the houselisting blocks (HLBs) and enumeration blocks (EBs) for slum areas in all statutory towns, regardless of population size, ahead of the first phase of Census 2027. The RGI emphasised that data on slums is very important and a prerequisite for urban planning.

In Census 2011, the last national enumeration, the total slum population was estimated at 65.5 million.

“Slum areas may be identified in all statutory towns irrespective of the population size. The towns may already be having a list of notified or recognised slums for their areas,” Narayan said in the communication. “While forming HLB or EB in any ward or town, [a] separate block or blocks should be formed for slum areas both at the HLO stage and later at PE stage.”

The RGI added that keeping a separate identity of the slum HLBs/EBs will enable them to compile and tabulate data for slums in both the phases of Census.