QR code to verify identity of staffers on census duty

PUNE: Maharashtra will begin its door-to-door house-listing enumeration exercise from May 16 to June 14, using a new QR code-based verification system to identify genuine census officials.

Senior census officials said all enumerators and supervisors (E&S) deployed will carry official appointment letters and identity cards issued by the charge officer. Both documents will contain embedded QR codes which citizens can scan to verify the authenticity of the personnel before sharing household or personal information.

The move comes amid a surge in cyber fraud cases across the country, in which fraudsters have posed as govt officials, police officers, and enforcement agency officials, using fake identity cards, forged documents, and digital verification requests to dupe citizens. Officials said digital arrest scams and the circulation of fake census-related messages online have raised concerns about impersonation-based fraud during the upcoming census exercise.

"If there is any doubt or suspicion, household members can verify the visiting personnel by checking their appointment letters and identity cards. They can also scan the QR code printed on these documents to confirm authenticity," a senior census official said.

Authorities said the QR-based authentication mechanism has been designed to make the field exercise more secure, transparent and reliable while improving public confidence in the process.

Officials said citizens participating through the self-enumeration module will also be covered under a layered verification mechanism.

Where households are unable to geo-tag their exact location while filling digital forms, they may tag a nearby location instead. Enumerators conducting field visits will then verify the entries physically using downloaded maps of the house-listing block and linked self-enumeration IDs. One supervisor will oversee enumeration work across every six HLBs to minimise discrepancies during data collection.

Self-enumeration, geo-tagging verification and QR-based authentication will make the census process smoother while reducing the possibility of fraud or fake visits.

A census official said, "The QR-based verification system will reassure households and ensure that only authorised census personnel can conduct the door-to-door survey. Public trust is critical for a successful census operation."