Digital Census Begins Across India; Odisha Launches Process from Raj Bhavan

State-Wide Rollout of Digital Census
The digital census has officially begun in Odisha along with the rest of the country. The process was inaugurated from the Raj Bhavan, the residence of the state’s first citizen, marking the start of a nationwide exercise.

Self-Enumeration Phase First
In the initial phase, a 15-day self-enumeration period has begun. Citizens can visit the official portal se.census.gov.in or use the mobile app to submit their details themselves. Each individual will need to answer 33 questions as part of the process.

Door-to-Door Enumeration from April 16
From April 16 to May 15, census officials will conduct door-to-door data collection across districts. During this phase, officials will ask the same set of 33 questions to gather comprehensive household data.

Wide Range of Data to Be Collected
The census will collect detailed information, including house number, building materials, household structure, ownership status, number of rooms, family details, SC/ST status, access to drinking water, sanitation facilities, cooking fuel, electricity sources, and availability of assets such as radio, TV, internet, mobile phones, and vehicles.

Self-Enumeration Not Mandatory
While self-enumeration is optional, citizens who complete it will not need to participate again during the door-to-door survey. They will only need to provide a reference number to the census officials. Authorities have urged citizens to provide accurate and complete information.

Exclusion of SIR from Census Process
Officials have clarified that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists will not be included in the census process. The SIR exercise has been temporarily postponed due to ongoing elections in various states.

First Census After 15 Years
India is conducting its first census after a gap of 15 years, the last being in 2011. This time, the census is fully digital and will gather detailed demographic, social, and economic data.

Massive Workforce Involved
More than 120,000 teachers and government employees in Odisha will be engaged in conducting the census across the state.

Data Confidentiality Assured
Officials have assured that all data collected during the census will remain strictly confidential and will not fall under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Citizens’ information will be securely protected throughout the process.