New Delhi, April 3 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh participated in the self-enumeration process for Census 2027, urging citizens to actively submit their household details online.

Posting on social media platform X, he wrote: â??Participated in the self-enumeration process as part of the Census 2027. Phase-I of Census 2027 which includes House Listing and Housing Operations has already started. For the first digital data collection has been emphasised, allowing respondents to self-enumerate their household details. I urge everyone to actively participate and complete self-enumeration, helping build a strong foundation for Viksit Bharat.â??

Census 2027 is set to be Indiaâ??s first fully digital census, moving away from the traditional paper-based system that has been followed for over 150 years.

The exercise is being conducted in two phases under the Census Act, 1948. The first phase, known as House Listing and Housing Census (HLO), focuses on collecting data regarding housing conditions, household amenities, and assets. Citizens are required to answer 33 questions that have been notified to them during this phase.

Earlier this week, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed his self-enumeration for Census 2027, marking the official start of the first phase. In a post on X, the Prime Minister said: â??Completed my self-enumeration. Today marks the beginning of the first phase of Census 2027, relating to house listing and housing operations. This census is the first time data collection is being done through digital means. It also empowers the people of India to self-enumerate their household details. I appeal to the people of India to self-enumerate their household details themselves and participate in the Census process.â??

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also completed his self-enumeration on Wednesday, highlighting the significance of the digital exercise. On X, he stated: â??Under the â??House-listingâ?? phase - the first step of the Census process commencing today - I filled out the self-enumeration form at my residence in Delhi. This process will play a pivotal role in accelerating Indiaâ??s developmental journey and ensuring that the full benefits of government schemes reach every citizen.â??

The government has set a deadline of April 15, 2026, for citizens to complete the self-enumeration process. Authorities emphasise that this digital approach will enable faster, more accurate, and convenient data collection, while empowering individuals to directly contribute to Indiaâ??s planning and development.

With the participation of top leaders and a nationwide push for self-enumeration, the Census 2027 aims to lay a strong foundation for policy planning and development in India, marking a historic shift toward fully digital data collection.

/IANS