Why you should participate in Census despite it being voluntary

Census 2027 marks the 16th census since 1872 and the 8th census since Independence. Census data serves as a critical foundation for governance, informing planning processes, welfare schemes, resource allocation and the delimitation of constituencies. It provides comprehensive information on a wide range of population characteristics, including data on economic activity, literacy and education, housing and amenities, fertility, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, language, religion, migration, as well as other socio-cultural and demographic aspects. Such data is essential for policymaking and development planning.Digital tools introduced:Census 2027 will be the first to incorporate digital tools in data collection. Enumerators will gather information using mobile applications on smartphones. In addition, households will have the option to complete self-enumeration through a designated web portal -- an initiative being introduced for the first time. All self-enumerated data will be subject to verification by enumerators during household visits. Enumerators will also visit households that have not completed self-enumeration to ensure full coverage.Data to remain private:Though participation in the census is not mandatory, citizens are strongly encouraged to take part. The data collected is secure and protected, and cannot be used in police investigations or legal proceedings.Conducted in two phases:Phase 1 (house-listing and housing census, May-June): Information is collected on housing conditions, amenities and household assets.Phase 2 (population enumeration, Feb 2027): Information is gathered about individuals residing in the country at a specific point in time.The first phase is underway.Self-enumeration: May 1-15 (completed by households). The process for self-enumeration is illustrated in the accompanying graphic.House-listing: May 16 to June 14 (conducted through enumerator visits)Official communication:All official census-related communication sent via OTP or SMS will include the keyword RGICEN in the sender name to ensure authenticity.HOW THE SELF-ENUMERATION PROCESS WORKS-------------------------------------SECTION 1: ACCESS AND INITIAL REGISTRATION1 Portal access & loginVisit se.census.gov.in, select state/UT, enter captcha2 Household registrationEnter head of household name, 10-digit mobile number, email id (optional)Name of head of household can not be changed laterOnly one mobile number should be used per household; once registered, it cannot be used for any other household-------------------------------------SECTION 2: VERIFICATION AND LOCATION IDENTIFICATION3 Language & OTP verificationSelect preferred language and enter OTP sent to registered mobile numberSelected language cannot be changed later4 Provide location detailsSelect district and enter PIN, village/town/locality5 Locate your residence on mapDrag the red marker on the map to identify your exact residential building and confirm location-------------------------------------SECTION 3: DATA ENTRY AND FINAL SUBMISSION6 Complete the questionnaireFill in the house-listing and housing census questionnaire guided by tooltips, FAQs and ‘essential information' notes7 Preview and reviewUse the preview screen to check all entered data; you can edit entries, save a draft to submit later or submit finally8 Final submissionClick ‘Final Submit' to lock your data; no changes can be made after final submission-------------------------------------GENERATION OF THE SE IDUpon submission, a unique 11-digit SE ID (prefixed with ‘H') is generated and sent via SMS & email (if provided)-------------------------------------SECTION 4: FIELD VALIDATION9 Enumerator visitWhen a census enumerator visits your home, share your SE ID with her/himID matching outcomesIf SE ID matches with an existing record, details are confirmed and submitted; if not, enumerator will collect data afresh