The Lieutenant Governor, Shri Manoj Sinha completed his self-enumeration today, marking the beginning of the House listing and Housing Census (HLO) operations in the UT of Jammu Kashmir. Lieutenant Governor said that census 2027 assumes historic significance as it is India’s first fully digital and paperless Census integrating advanced digital technologies, mobile-based data collection systems and self-enumeration mechanisms. He said the exercise is aimed at ensuring greater efficiency, transparency, accuracy and real-time monitoring of operations.
Lieutenant Governor further observed that Census 2027 carries special significance for the UT in view of urban expansion, migration trends, expansion of municipal jurisdictions and evolving developmental priorities. The Census will generate reliable and granular datasets essential for evidence-based governance, targeted welfare delivery and long-term planning.
Self-Enumeration period from 17 May 2026 to 31 May 2026 will collect information regarding several key aspects of the housing and conditions of buildings. Questions in this phase will cover aspects such as Housing conditions, Household assets, Amenities and facilities, Access to sanitation and drinking water, Type of construction, Communication and transport facilities, Availability of electricity and internet.
The second phase which is the Population Enumeration will be conducted in February 2027 in normal areas while in snow-bound and non-synchronous areas of Jammu & Kashmir will be conducted earlier in September 2027 as per notified timelines with separate operational arrangements and logistics planning. This phase will collect demographic and socio-economic information relating to Population, Age, Gender, Literacy, Occupation, Migration, Marital status, Disability, Fertility and other demographic indicators.
Extensive preparatory activities have already been initiated across the Union Territory in coordination with the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. More than 27,000 field functionaries, including Enumerators and Supervisors, are being deployed across Jammu & Kashmir and their registration and digital integration are being undertaken through the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS). QR-coded appointment letters and identity cards are also being generated through the digital platform.
A comprehensive multi-tier training framework has been put in place for effective capacity building of Census functionaries. National Trainers have trained Master Trainers, who subsequently conducted training of Field Trainers across districts. Training programmes for Enumerators and Supervisors through trained Field Trainers are being organised in phased batches with focus on Census concepts and definitions, field protocols, use of mobile-based applications, digital data capture systems, household engagement techniques, facilitation of self-enumeration and adherence to data confidentiality provisions.
Special operational planning is also being undertaken for remote, hilly and snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir to ensure timely completion of Census activities under challenging geographical and climatic conditions. Separate operational arrangements, logistics planning and deployment strategies are being put in place for such areas.
A robust multi-layered digital security architecture has been established to safeguard integrity and confidentiality of data at every stage of collection, transmission, storage and processing. Key safeguards include end-to-end encryption, secure digital transmission protocols, protected data storage systems, role-based access controls and certified data centres designated as Critical Information Infrastructure.
Self-Enumeration represents one of the most important and citizen-centric innovations in Census 2027 and is expected to transform public participation in the Census process. Through this facility, households will be able to directly submit their Census information digitally through a secure online portal during the notified period.