The next census in India may see data being collected through a mobile app. This was proposed by officials of the Registrar General of India at a conference of data users to finalise the strategy and questionnaire for the Census 2021.

“Enumerators (the persons who conduct door to door counting) would be encouraged to use their own mobile phone for which they would be paid appropriate remuneration or else there is also option to collect and record the data through paper schedules which will eventually be submitted electronically by them,” a statement from the Ministry of Home said.

Speaking at the conference, Home Secretary, Rajiv Gauba said that 33 lakh enumerators would be mobilised for data collection for which notification has already been issued. The reference date is October 1, 2020 for Jammu & Kashmir and snow bound areas of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. For the rest of country, it is March 1, 2021.

“Census 2021 will be conducted in two phases. In the first phase -- House Listing Operations would be conducted in any two months chosen by the States between April-September 2020. In the second phase, actual population enumeration would be done during February 9 to February 28, 2021. This will be followed by the Revision round from March 1 to March 5, 2021,” Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner Vivek Joshi said.

Joshi said that in Jammu and Kashmir and snow bound areas of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, population enumeration would be conducted from September 11 to September 30, 2020, followed by the Revision round from October 1 to October 5, 2020.

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