A meeting chaired by Chief Principal Census Officer (CPCO) Amit Sharma in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, discussed the issue of Census enumerators and supervisors having mobile devices below the required configuration in snow-bound areas. The Census 2027 questionnaire is the country’s first-ever digital Census exercise, and enumerators are required to capture the data through apps on their personal phones.
Officials informed the meeting about the technical challenges faced by field functionaries, explaining that the mobile devices to be used for the upcoming Population Enumeration exercise are required to have a minimum of 8 GB of RAM and Android 13 or above. The issue of enumerators and supervisors having devices below the required configuration was discussed for appropriate resolution.
The meeting reviewed Doda district’s readiness for the Population Enumeration phase scheduled from September 1 to September 30, 2026. The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RG&CCI) had notified a set of 40 questions to be asked during the Population Enumeration phase, adding 13 new questions or data fields that were not part of the Census 2011 questionnaire.
The second phase of the Census in Ladakh and snow-bound areas of J&K, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh is being conducted ahead of the rest of the country. The self-enumeration portal for these regions will remain available from August 17 to August 31, and the door-to-door enumeration will start on September 1 and conclude by September 30.
Mr. Sharma stressed the need for accurate and reliable data collection, directing enumerators and supervisors to ensure that all entries are properly recorded, verified, and cross-checked. He said accurate Census data is essential for policy planning and delivery of public services. Special attention was also given to the enumeration of migratory populations, tribal communities, and residents of remote forest areas.
