Census 2027: Digital House-Listing First, People Count Later; New Era Begins

• Census 2027 will be a two-phase process, starting with house-listing from April to September 2026, followed by population enumeration.
• The first phase focuses exclusively on houses and buildings, collecting data on type, usage, and amenities, without personal details.
• New features include a digital format, mobile applications, self-enumeration, and caste enumeration.
• Multiple properties, vacant, or locked houses will be recorded as independent units during the house-listing phase.
• Officials will make multiple visits for locked homes; legal action applies only for deliberate refusal to cooperate.

Why It Matters: Census 2027 begins with digital house-listing, marking a new era of data collection before people are counted.