A preliminary test of India’s first ever digital census has begun in Kerala. Palakkad, Ernakulam and Idukki districts were selected as model areas.
Conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948, the exercise marks the first phase of preparations for the 2027 census. Based on a notification issued by the Union government, Kerala has started the groundwork for a digital transition.
In Palakkad district, the preliminary examination is conducted in Kallamala and Sholayur tribal villages under Attappady tribal taluk office, while in Idukki it is conducted in Irattayar village under Udumbanchola taluk. In Ernakulam, the exercise covers Wards 1 to 4 of the Kochi Corporation. District Collectors were appointed as Chief Enumeration Officers and tahsildars of Udumbanchola and Attappady taluks along with Kochi Corporation Secretary were appointed as clerical officers. Enumerators will collect data directly from households.
The digital census will take place in two phases, the census of houses and flats, followed by the population census. Data collection will take place through mobile applications. A web portal of the Census Monitoring and Management System (CMMS) was established to monitor the progress of the census in real time.
The purpose of the pre-test is to identify and address potential challenges related to the use of digital tools and system design to ensure a smooth implementation of the nationwide census. The sample areas were carefully selected to represent a variety of conditions, including remote, hilly and coastal regions, as well as areas with connectivity issues and densely populated settlements.
Georgekutty PV, Kerala Joint Director of Census Operations, appealed to the public to cooperate by providing accurate information to ensure the success of the preliminary test. Citizens were also given the opportunity to take their own census from November 1 to 7, 2025, with the pre-test continuing until November 30.
Published – 13 Nov 2025 21:48 IST
