Union Home Minister Amit Shah soft-launches four digital tools and unveils mascots Pragati and Vikas for India’s first fully digital Census-2027
Census-2027 preparations advanced on March 5, 2026, as Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah soft-launched four digital tools and formally unveiled the mascots Pragati (female) and Vikas (male) in New Delhi.The event took place in New Delhi. Senior officials attended, including the Union Home Secretary and the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
Census-2027 will be the world’s largest census exercise. It will happen in two phases. For the first time, the census will use digital methods fully. It will also offer self-enumeration for the first time.The mascots Pragati and Vikas represent female and male enumerators. They stand for equal participation of women and men. This supports India’s goal to become a developed nation by 2047. The mascots will help share information and key messages about Census-2027 in a simple way to all sections of society.
Four Digital Tools Launched for Census-2027
The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) developed these tools.The first tool is the Houselisting Block Creator (HLBC) Web Application. It uses satellite imagery to create houselisting blocks digitally. This ensures uniform geographic coverage across the country.
The second tool is the HLO Mobile Application. Enumerators use this secure offline app to collect and upload houselisting data. Only registered enumerators on the CMMS Portal can access it. Data goes directly from the field to the server. This removes paper forms. The app works on Android and iOS. It supports 16 regional languages. It links to registered mobile numbers.
The third tool is the Self-Enumeration (SE) Portal. Eligible people can submit household information online before door-to-door visits. After submission, a unique Self-Enumeration ID (SE ID) is generated. Enumerators use this ID to verify the data.
The fourth tool is the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) Portal. This central web platform plans, manages, and monitors all census activities. Officers at sub-district, district, and state levels track progress and performance in real time through a dashboard.More than 30 lakh enumerators, supervisors, and other officials will work across the country for Census-2027.
Census-2027 Phases and Timeline
The Central Government issued a Gazette Notification on June 16, 2025, to start the Census-2027 process.Phase 1 covers Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO). Notification for this phase came on January 7, 2026. It will run from April 1, 2026, to September 30, 2026. Each State or Union Territory will set a 30-day continuous period within this window. An optional 15-day self-enumeration period will come before the house-to-house survey. This phase collects data on housing conditions and household amenities.
Phase 2 is Population Enumeration (PE). It will take place in February 2027 across most of India. For the Union Territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, it will occur in September 2026. This phase records demographic, social, and economic details of every person. It will also include caste-related questions.
The reference date for Census-2027 is 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027, for most areas. For Ladakh and the mentioned snow-bound areas, it is 00:00 hours on October 1, 2026.Door-to-door data collection will use secure mobile apps. This ensures complete coverage.
Public Participation in Census-2027
People can use the Self-Enumeration Portal to submit details online ahead of enumerator visits. This makes the process faster and more convenient. Everyone should cooperate with enumerators during visits. The use of digital tools aims to make Census-2027 accurate, secure, and inclusive. Citizens can expect official updates through the mascots and government channels as the exercise moves forward.
Read More: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Launches Nationwide HPV Vaccination Drive for 14-Year-Old Girls