New Delhi [India], May 17 (ANI): The first phase of the 2027 Census continued in Delhi with the House Listing Operations phase beginning on Saturday, following the completion of the digital self-enumeration window.

East Delhi District Magistrate Amol Srivastava announced that after initial ground-level area identification, enumerators will begin door-to-door data collection.

'The dates for digital self-enumeration were set from May 1 to May 15, and today, from May 16, our House Listing Operations are beginning, and the work for that is being started. In the initial 2-3 days, our enumerators will go to the ground level to identify their areas, and from the fourth day, they will visit people's homes and ask questions to people that will be asked under the census. The East Delhi area is divided into 26 wards, for which we have 26 charge officers,' he told ANI.

To ensure public awareness, he said that meetings and street plays were deployed throughout the district.

'We have trained our enumerators in several rounds. The district administration's machinery is also active, and full assistance is being provided to the enumerators. As far as reaching out to people is concerned, we have held several rounds of meetings before the House Listing Operations began... Street plays have also been performed at many places so that people know that the census process has started. Our training also includes technical aspects. Along with that, we provide sensitisation training... Our appeal to the public is also that when our enumerators come to their homes, they can verify their identity by scanning the QR code present on their ID cards,' he said.

The Census 2027, the 16th census since the exercise began and the 8th after independence, marks a significant step with digital integration and strengthened data security.

The government has approved an outlay of Rs 11,718.24 crore, with the process to be conducted in two phases -- house listing between April and September 2026, followed by population enumeration in February 2027.

Census is the process of collecting, compiling, analysing, and disseminating demographic, social, cultural and economic data relating to all persons in the country or a designated area. The wealth of information collected through the census makes it the richest source of data for planners, administrators, research scholars and other data users.

According to the government, the census serves as a critical foundation for governance, enabling informed decision-making across political, social, and economic domains. Census data enables informed policy making that is inclusive, targeted, and aligned with the diverse needs of the population.

The earliest references to conducting a census in the country can be found in Kautilya's Arthashastra (321-296 BC) and later in the writings of Abul Fazl in 'Ain-e-Akbari' during the days of Akbar. The first modern population census in India was conducted between 1865 and 1872, though it didn't happen simultaneously across all regions. India conducted its first synchronous census in 1881. Since then, the Indian census has been providing reliable, time-tested data on various aspects of the population through extensive exercises held every 10 years.

Each successive census refined its methods, increased coverage, and modified questions to better understand the population.

Census 2027 will be the largest census exercise in the world and marks a major step forward with digital integration, strengthened data security, and streamlining processes, reinforcing evidence-based policymaking. It introduces several pioneering features, including mobile-based data collection, near real-time monitoring through the Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS) portal, an optional self-enumeration facility, and extensive use of geo-referenced jurisdictions. Comprehensive caste enumeration will be done during the Population Enumeration phase.

The Census 2027 is anchored in a robust institutional and administrative framework that ensures consistency, credibility, and nationwide uniformity in data collection. Post-independence, the Census is governed by the Census Act, 1948, and the Census Rules, 1990, ensuring a strong legal and institutional framework. (ANI)