India is set to revolutionize its decennial headcount with Census 2027, marking a significant shift towards digital enumeration. The Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) will serve as the backbone of this transformation, replacing traditional methods with advanced digital tools.
The CMMS portal will facilitate the collection of granular demographic, social, and economic data by 3.2 million field functionaries using handheld devices. This digital approach aims to enhance data quality and efficiency, significantly reducing compilation and error correction time.
The Registrar General of India, Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, emphasized the modernization of the Census process, highlighting the use of digital technology to improve data collection and dissemination. The initiative includes a web-based mapping application for geo-tagging houselisting blocks, enhancing data integrity and planning.
Approved by the Union Cabinet with a budget of ₹11,718 crore, the Census will also include caste enumeration for the first time. Originally scheduled for 2021, the Census was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will now proceed in two phases: house-listing from April to September 2026 and population enumeration in February 2027.
The introduction of self-enumeration options and the creation of houselisting blocks through the CMMS reflect a transformative step in India’s data collection strategy. This modern approach is expected to provide a valuable digital spatial archive for future planning and development.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, February 26th, 2026
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