Bhubaneswar: Amid the ongoing digital self-enumeration process, the Directorate of Census Operations in Odisha has asked the district authorities and urban local bodies across the state to organise a “Census Week” in schools ahead of the Census 2027.
Officials said the initiative aims at building awareness and encouraging active participation among citizens. District Education Officers (DEOs) have been asked to conduct competitions, and awareness campaigns in schools.
As part of the initiative, students are intended to act as information ambassadors, spreading awareness within their families and communities to ensure accurate data collection without duplication or omission.
It may be noted that the self-enumeration phase commenced in the state on April 1, marking a significant step towards India’s first digital census. People can submit their details online till April 15 through the official platform, reducing reliance on physical surveys during the initial stage.
The exercise was formally launched when Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati became the first citizen in the state to complete self-enumeration, setting the tone for wider public participation.
The Census questionnaire includes 33 questions covering housing conditions, family composition, head of household, vehicles, land ownership, LPG usage, and caste-related data. The comprehensive format aims to capture a detailed socio-economic profile of households.
After the digital phase, house listing operations will be held from April 16 to May 15 when trained enumerators and supervisors will visit households across all 30 districts to verify and collect data, according to Director of Census Operations in Odisha, Nikhil Pavan Kalyan.
The Census exercise is being conducted by the Directorate of Census Operations under the Ministry of Home Affairs, in coordination with the state’s Revenue and Disaster Management Department.
