Shillong, April 30: Self-enumeration for Census 2027 will commence across Meghalaya from May 1 marking a major milestone in India’s first fully digital Census. The announcement was made during a press conference organized by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Shillong in collaboration with the Directorate of Census Operations, Meghalaya, held on Thursday at the Shillong Press Club.
Addressing the media, Director of Census Operations, Meghalaya, Government of Indiai Biswajit Pegu stated that Census 2027 will be a landmark exercise, being the 16th Census overall and the 8th since Independence. He highlighted that for the first time, the entire Census process – from enumeration to data analysis – will be conducted digitally using mobile applications and the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) portal.
Pegu informed that citizens will have the option of Self enumeration through an online portal from May 1 to May 15.
This facility allows individuals to fill in their household details, which will subsequently be verified by enumerators during house-to-house visits. He emphasized that this initiative will enhance transparency, accuracy, and public participation in the census process.
Other Senior officials present at the press conference included Subhasish Chatterjee, Joint Director; B. Basumatary, Deputy Director and Aibor Sanglyne, Deputy Director from the Directorate of Census Operations. The press conference was coordinated by Assistant Director PIB Shillong Gopajit Das.
Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases. Phase I includes self-enumeration and House Listing Operations (HLO). Following the self-enumeration period, HLO will be conducted from May 16 to June 14 during which enumerators will collect data on housing conditions, assets, and basic amenities through a structured questionnaire comprising 33 questions. Phase II, population enumeration, will take place in February 2027, with the reference date set as March 1, 2027.
Highlighting the legal framework, Pegu stated that the census is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and Census Rules, 1990. He noted that digital transformation will ensure improved data quality through pre-loaded questionnaires in mobile applications and faster processing, enabling timely publication of results.
Elaborating on methodology, he said that data collection will be carried out through dedicated mobile apps used by enumerators and supervisors on smartphones. The CMMS portal will manage all activities including training, monitoring, and formation of geo-coded House Listing Blocks through the HLB Creator (HLBC). Self-enumerated data will be verified during field visits before final submission.
On data security, Pegu assured that robust safeguards have been implemented to maintain confidentiality. Individual and household-level data will not be disclosed, and only aggregated data at various administrative levels will be released for policy formulation and development planning. Mobile numbers collected will be used only for communication and verification purposes.
He further informed that approximately 9,000 enumerators and supervisors will be deployed across the state, with a strong multi-layer supervision mechanism to ensure data accuracy. The census will cover all normal and institutional households, while certain categories such as foreigners and diplomatic personnel will be excluded during the HLO phase.
Speaking on the occasion, Subhasish Chatterjee, Joint Director, Directorate of Census Operations, Meghalaya, highlighted that a national toll-free helpline -1855 – has been launched across India in preparation for census 2027. He informed that the helpline has been established to assist citizens with queries related to the census process, including house-listing operations and population enumeration. It will also provide guidance on procedures, address concerns and ensure that people receive accurate and timely information.
The administrative boundaries of Meghalaya have been frozen as of December 31, 2025, for census purposes. The exercise will be conducted under the supervision of Deputy Commissioners as Principal Census Officers, supported by charge officers, supervisors and enumerators.
The officials, through the media, urged the public to actively participate in the self-enumeration process and extend full cooperation to enumerators to ensure accurate and reliable data for inclusive development and evidence-based governance in Meghalaya. They emphasised that equally important is the role of public awareness, highlighting that media professionals play a vital role in disseminating accurate information, dispelling misconceptions, and enabling citizens to participate with confidence and clarity in census 2027.
