At the beginning of the census, enumerators set out to map houses and households

Census Team Visits Houses in Vattiyoorkavu Locality to Start Census 2027 Process in Thiruvananthapuram July 1, 2026 | Photo credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN

School teachers in charge of the census came out with building registers, maps and identity cards on Wednesday as the enumeration of houses and flats, the first phase of Census 2027, began in Kerala.

At the Kariyavattom Campus in Ward 4, Census Commissioners have begun a socially and politically consequential nationwide census process after a 16-year hiatus, a five-year delay attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and other administrative hiccups, identifying and numbering buildings as a precursor to the subsequent census.

India’s political, economic and social situation has changed drastically since the last census in 2011. The new demographic and socio-political contours that emerge after the Herculean task is completed and the numbers are finally compiled and tabulated would help lay the groundwork for future policy-making, including caste-based affirmative action between parliamentary and provincial government revenue sources.

Acutely aware of the enormity of the daunting task ahead, the enumerator said nearly 200 buildings and 20 houses are under her supervision.

While the exercise started off smoothly, the locked houses proved to be the biggest obstacle. Many residents were away at work, requiring enumerators to make repeat visits. “People are generally cooperative. Our main problem is finding locked houses during the day, especially newly occupied buildings,” the teacher said.

The census commissioner covering Pangappara residential area in Ward 9 completed visits to about 15 houses by afternoon and reported a similar experience.

“We are now focusing on buildings. In the coming days, information related to households will also be collected. The exercise is important as it helps to understand the changes that have taken place over the last decade and provides updated information for future planning and development,” said the teacher.

The Census of Houses and Apartments records information regarding the condition of buildings and the availability of basic amenities. The exercise will continue till July 30, after which the 2027 population census phase will be conducted.

According to the Census Bureau, the data obtained will help the government to assess housing conditions, civic infrastructure and public amenities, while providing an updated database for planning and implementing welfare and development programs.

(Writer Malavika Devi JR is an intern at the Hindu Bureau in Thiruvananthapuram)

Published – 01 Jul 2026 19:32 IST