States » NorthPosted at: Nov 11 2026 4:45PM


Punjab advances Census 2027 population count ahead of Assembly polls, gives households online option

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Nov 11 (UNI) Punjab will conduct its population census nearly three months before the national reference date, with the enumeration exercise beginning on December 1 as part of a revised schedule covering states heading for Assembly elections in 2027.
The exercise will also mark a major change in the way population data is collected, allowing households to submit their details online before government enumerators visit them.
Under the schedule, residents can use the self-enumeration facility from November 16 to 30, while door-to-door enumeration will continue from December 1, 2026, to January 4, 2027.
The reference date for Punjab has been fixed at midnight on January 5, 2027, instead of the March 1 reference date applicable to most parts of the country.
The revised schedule places Punjab among the states where population enumeration is being conducted earlier in view of the Assembly elections due next year.
For the first time, residents will be able to enter their census information themselves through the designated online portal, se.census.gov.in.
The questionnaire contains 40 questions covering personal, demographic and socio-economic characteristics, including age, marital status, education, occupation and migration.
Households completing the online process will receive a self-enumeration identification number, which can be shared with the enumerator during the subsequent field visit.
The online option does not eliminate door-to-door verification. Census workers will still visit households to verify submitted information and collect details from those who have not used the digital facility.
The authorities have also provided for a revision exercise after the main enumeration period to account for people who may have been missed.
With the online window opening in five days, Punjab Director of Census Operations Dr Navjot Khosa on Wednesday flagged off nine digital LED vans from Chandigarh to promote public awareness about the exercise.
The vehicles will travel through districts, covering villages, urban neighbourhoods, markets and other public places.
They will display information about the census and carry QR codes directing residents to the official portal.
District administrations have prepared routes for the vehicles, while designated officials will coordinate their movement and public outreach activities.
The campaign is intended particularly to inform residents about the new self-enumeration facility before the commencement of field operations.
A toll-free helpline, 1855, has also been publicised for assistance with census-related queries.
Census 2027 assumes particular significance because India has not conducted a nationwide population census since 2011. The exercise scheduled for 2021 was postponed following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The prolonged gap means the forthcoming census will provide an updated demographic baseline for planning public services, infrastructure and welfare programmes.
For Punjab, the new figures will be particularly relevant to assessments of migration, urbanisation, population distribution and changing household characteristics.
The exercise is being conducted in two phases. The first covers house-listing and housing conditions, while the second records population characteristics.
Unlike earlier censuses, the forthcoming exercise will use digital data collection, including mobile applications for enumerators and an online self-enumeration facility for residents.
The government has said information collected during the census will be treated as confidential and used for statistical purposes.
The immediate challenge for the Punjab administration will be ensuring that households across rural and urban areas are informed about the online facility while maintaining comprehensive coverage during the subsequent door-to-door enumeration.
With the self-enumeration portal scheduled to close on November 30, residents will have 15 days to submit their information before field enumeration begins.
UNI NB AAB
Tags: #Punjab advances Census 2027 population count ahead of Assembly polls# gives households online option
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