The first phase of Census 2027 will begin in Rajasthan on May 16 with house listing and housing enumeration (HLO) to be conducted statewide, officials said on Friday.

Director of Census Operations Bishnu Charan Mallick said fieldwork for the first phase will continue till June 14, 2026, during which enumerators will undertake door-to-door data collection.

Around 1.6 lakh enumerators and supervisors will be deployed across Rajasthan for the exercise, visiting households to collect data based on notified questions, he said. The state government has already issued a notification detailing 33 questions to be covered in the first phase.

Mallick said the houselisting phase aims to create a reliable framework for the second phase- population enumeration- to ensure that no individual or household is left out.

He said a self-enumeration facility has been introduced as part of efforts to make the exercise digital and participatory. The option will be available from May 1 to May 15, allowing households to submit their details through a web portal.

"The objective of self-enumeration is to provide an option to working families, or those willing to share details at their convenience, to furnish information digitally," Mallick said, adding that field-level verification by enumerators will remain mandatory even after online submission.

He also urged citizens to actively participate in the process by providing accurate and complete information to enumerators, and advised them to verify identity cards of officials before sharing any details.

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