Surat. The first phase of the 16th census of the country, and the 8th since independence, will commence on Monday, June 1, 2026, in Surat city and district, including Gujarat, with the resolution of 'Census for Public Welfare'.
This will be the first census in the country's history to be conducted entirely through digital means. The last census was held in 2011. Census Director Sujal J. Mayatra has appealed to citizens for active participation and full cooperation in this national campaign. Under the census process, Surat metropolitan and district have been divided into special House Listing Blocks (HLB). For the urban area of Surat, 10,800 House Listing Blocks, 10,800 enumerators, and 1,800 supervisors have been appointed.
In rural areas, 2,737 House Listing Blocks, 2,646 enumerators, and 441 supervisors will be deployed. The entire process will be conducted using modern technology. To ensure the census work is error-free and effective, all enumerators, supervisors, and officials have been trained in three phases.
The district administration has urged citizens to provide accurate and complete information to the enumerators visiting their homes. So far, more than 37,000 citizens in the district have registered for self-enumeration digitally. Of these, over 32,000 have completed the process, while around 5,000 applications are in process.
The house listing and house count (HLO) work will be conducted from June 1 to June 30, 2026, during which a total of 33 questions will be asked regarding housing status, family details, drinking water sources, toilet facilities, and other properties. Modern digital technology will be extensively used in Census-2027. Android and iOS-based mobile applications will be made available, which will operate in 16 languages, including Gujarati, and will also provide offline data collection facilities.
A self-enumeration facility will also be provided for citizens, allowing them to enter their information online. The second phase will involve population and caste enumeration, scheduled to take place from February 9 to February 28, 2027. This phase will include both population counting and a nationwide caste enumeration.
All personal information collected under the Census Act-1948 and Census Rules-1990 will be kept completely confidential. This information cannot be used for any legal, tax, or other administrative actions. According to the law, it is mandatory for every citizen to provide accurate and complete information.
There are provisions for penalties for providing false information or refusing to provide information. For any information or assistance related to the census, citizens can use the Government of India's helpline 1855 and the official website www.censusindia.gov.in.
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