Chandigarh: The first phase of Census 2027 has begun in Punjab with the rollout of a self-enumeration process, marking a significant shift toward digitisation in population data collection. Residents can now voluntarily submit their household details online from April 30 to May 14, 2026.
Officials said this is the first time citizens are being given the option to directly input their information through a dedicated digital platform. The exercise focuses on gathering details related to housing conditions, household members, and basic amenities.
Following the online phase, field verification will be carried out by government enumerators between May 15 and June 13. During this stage, officials will visit households to validate the information provided and ensure accuracy in the records.
Authorities have encouraged people to participate actively in the self-enumeration process, noting that early submission of data can help streamline the overall census operation. The initiative is also expected to reduce paperwork and speed up data processing compared to traditional methods.
The move toward a hybrid census model—combining digital input with physical verification—is being seen as a step toward modernising large-scale data collection in India, while maintaining reliability through on-ground checks.
