Census 2027: Only Government ID Details Sought, No Private Data, J&K Officer Clarifies
The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India has notified 40 questions for Population Enumeration, the second phase of Census 2027. The exercise will begin in snow-bound areas of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from August 17 and continue till September 30. The rest of the country will see the enumeration in February 2027.
The 2027 questionnaire includes 13 new data fields compared to Census 2011, which had 29 questions. The new fields seek information on spouse's name, nationality, parents' particulars, digital literacy, permanent residential address, place of COVID-19 vaccination, number of bank accounts, and details of identity documents such as passport, driving licence, mobile number, Aadhaar and voter ID — if available.
In an interview, Amit Sharma, Chief Principal Census Officer and Director, Census Operations, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, addressed concerns about privacy and explained the rationale behind the new questions. He stressed that no private or confidential data is being sought by enumerators. “These are all documents provided by the government. We are not seeking bank account details, only the number of accounts an individual has. Identity documents such as Aadhaar, voter ID, driving licence, and passport are all issued by the government, and respondents are to provide them, subject to availability,” he said.
Sharma noted that all data collected is confidential under the Census Act, 1948. He advised respondents to note down their details on paper before the enumerator visits, as the 40-question format may take more time.
Regarding self-enumeration, Sharma said that the entire Union Territory of Ladakh and snow-bound areas of 16 districts of J&K will begin self-enumeration on August 17 on the portal www.se/snowbound.census.gov.in, ahead of door-to-door enumeration from September 1. He encouraged residents to use the self-enumeration option but warned against cyber fraud. “Fraudsters may seek information in the name of the Census. Our enumerators have QR-code-enabled ID cards; their credentials can be checked,” he said.
The self-enumeration portal is georeferenced and available only in snow-bound areas, meaning a resident of a snow-bound area currently living in the plains cannot access it. Under the extended de facto pattern, everyone present at a location will be counted. During the House Listing Operations (HLO) in June 2026, over 6.67 lakh households in J&K and 7,009 households in Ladakh voluntarily completed self-enumeration.
Sharma emphasised the significance of Census 2027 for the two Union Territories. It will provide the first comprehensive demographic picture of Jammu & Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and the first Census of Ladakh as a Union Territory. Beyond updating population figures after more than a decade, it will generate data on population distribution, migration, age structure, housing, education, employment, fertility, disability and social composition to support future planning and resource allocation.
During the HLO, Jammu & Kashmir covered 24,071 digitally mapped House Listing Blocks across 295 Census Charges, while Ladakh covered 567 Blocks across 17 Charges. This digital exercise created the framework for Population Enumeration. Sharma said geography remains a key focus as demographic realities vary sharply across regions.
