DD Correspondent
Srinagar (J&K): The House Listing Operations (HLO), the first phase of Census 2027, concluded successfully across the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh after a month-long field exercise conducted from June 1 to June 30, 2026.
Amit Sharma, IAS, Chief Principal Census Officer (CPCO) and Director of Census Operations (DCO), Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, said the entire exercise was carried out entirely through digital means, marking another milestone in India’s first end-to-end digital Census. The month-long operation was completed without any major technical disruptions, reflecting the robustness of the digital ecosystem developed by the Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India, Ministry of Home Affairs.
Announcing the successful completion of Phase-I, Amit Sharma congratulated all officers and officials associated with the Census exercise for successfully executing one of the country’s largest administrative operations within the stipulated timeframe.
He appreciated the dedication of the Principal Census Officers (Deputy Commissioners and Municipal Commissioners), Charge Officers, Nodal Officers, Master Trainers, Field Trainers, Enumerators, Supervisors, and thousands of field functionaries whose coordinated efforts ensured the seamless implementation of House Listing Operations across both Union Territories.
Highlighting the scale of the exercise, Sharma said that 24,071 digitally mapped and geo-referenced House Listing Blocks across 295 Census Charges were covered in Jammu & Kashmir, while 567 House Listing Blocks across 17 Charges were covered in Ladakh. The exercise ensured comprehensive coverage of urban, rural, border, tribal, remote, and geographically challenging areas, laying the foundation for the second phase of Census 2027.
He added that the successful completion of HLO followed one of the country’s largest capacity-building exercises. In Jammu & Kashmir, 30 Master Trainers, 614 Field Trainers, and 29,269 Enumerators and Supervisors were trained in digital Census applications, field procedures, and operational protocols.
In Ladakh, 2 Master Trainers, 20 Field Trainers, and 722 Enumerators and Supervisors received similar training. More than 27,000 Census kits were distributed in Jammu & Kashmir and around 800 in Ladakh to facilitate smooth field operations.
Sharma said the successful completion of Phase-I was the result of meticulous planning, continuous monitoring, and close coordination between the Directorate of Census Operations, district administrations, and field functionaries. Regular review meetings chaired by the Chief Secretary, periodic district-level inspections, field visits by the Directorate, and continuous monitoring through digital dashboards helped resolve operational issues promptly and ensured adherence to the Census schedule.
He also acknowledged the contribution of extensive media and public awareness campaigns conducted before and during the fieldwork. Awareness initiatives through print, electronic, and social media, along with the participation of constitutional authorities, public representatives, Padma awardees, and eminent personalities, helped build public confidence in the digital Census process.
Referring to the Self-Enumeration phase, Sharma said that more than 6.67 lakh households in Jammu & Kashmir and 7,009 households in Ladakh voluntarily submitted their Census details through the Self-Enumeration portal before field operations began, reflecting strong public acceptance of India’s first digital Census.
Looking ahead, he said the Directorate will begin preparations for the next milestones of Census 2027. Work on the compilation of District Census Handbooks will commence on August 1, 2026, followed by preparations for Population Enumeration in the snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir, to be notified shortly, and across Ladakh in September 2026. Population Enumeration in the remaining areas will be undertaken in February 2027, as per the schedule issued by the Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India.
Describing the successful completion of Phase-I as a significant achievement for both Union Territories, Amit Sharma expressed confidence that the same spirit of teamwork, professionalism, and public cooperation would continue during the forthcoming phases of Census 2027, further strengthening the country’s statistical foundation for evidence-based governance and development.
