Guwahati: Assam is poised to take the lead in India’s first fully digital census, with a pilot project slated to be conducted from November 10 to 30 in selected areas of Dibrugarh, West Karbi Anglong, and Hailakandi districts, positioning the state at the forefront of a nationwide transformation in demographic mapping.
The initiative represents a significant move towards a transparent, technology-driven, and efficient data collection system, paving the way for the 2027 national census.
By digitizing every stage — from enumeration to verification — the initiative seeks to transform the way India records and analyses its population in the digital era.
Before the main fieldwork begins, a pre-test for self-enumeration will be held from November 1 to 7, allowing residents of the selected areas to register themselves through an online portal.
The pre-test will focus on house-listing and housing census operations. Areas chosen for the trial include wards 16, 17, and 18 under the Dibrugarh East revenue circle, 23 villages under the Donka revenue circle in West Karbi Anglong, and seven villages within the Hailakandi revenue circle.
To oversee the process, the commissioner of Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation and the deputy commissioners of Hailakandi and West Karbi Anglong have been appointed as principal census officers by the Assam government’s general administration department, according to an official statement.
ALSO READ: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to visit Assam on Nov 7 to inaugurate key projects
The director of census operations-cum-chief principal census officer, Assam, has urged residents to cooperate fully with enumerators and supervisors during the field visits. The success of this pre-test is expected to shape the rollout of the full digital census across the country.
