Census 2027: Ensure every individual is counted, says Registrar General

Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan has directed census officials in Andhra Pradesh to complete the second phase of Census 2027 with accuracy, quality and strict adherence to deadlines, ensuring that no household or individual is left out.

Addressing a State-level conference of principal census officers at the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat here on Friday (October 9, 2026), he commended the State government for successfully completing the first phase, covering house listing and housing census, and urged officials to maintain the same commitment during population enumeration.

Census 2027 will be the eighth census since Independence and the 16th overall. The population data, being collected for the first time since 2011, will form the basis for development planning, delimitation of constituencies, allocation of Central funds and formulation of welfare schemes. The second phase will collect individual-level information through a questionnaire containing 40 questions.

Officials must handle sensitive subjects, including religion, caste, disability and occupation, respectfully and record information accurately, he said. Personal data provided by respondents will remain confidential under the Census Act, 1948. Mr. Narayan stressed the importance of three-tier training for enumerators and supervisors, public awareness campaigns to promote self-enumeration and careful demarcation of enumeration blocks to prevent omissions and duplication.

Digital tools, mobile applications and the Census Management and Monitoring System will support data collection and progress monitoring.

Chief Secretary G. Sai Prasad called for a comprehensive action plan to complete enumeration within the stipulated 55 days. He advised district Collectors to prioritise targets during the first 15 to 25 days, conduct daily reviews and promptly address delays in underperforming mandals and administrative units.

Special Chief Secretary and State Nodal Officer Shamsher Singh Rawat said Andhra Pradesh deployed 84,115 enumerators and 13,887 supervisors across 94,983 enumeration blocks during the first phase, conducted from May 1 to 31, 2026. He called for accelerated training and wider promotion of self-enumeration through local bodies, educational institutions and digital platforms, noting that the conversion rate from self-enumeration to the subsequent process was about 13% previously.

Census Operations Director J. Nivas said the conference would help officials clarify procedures and prepare effectively for the second phase. District Collectors, municipal commissioners and senior officials from various departments attended the meeting.