India Launches Digital Census Apps for 2027 Trial Run
The Indian government has launched two specialized mobile applications—Digital Layout Map (DLM) and Census 2027-Houselist—marking a significant step toward the country’s first fully digital Population Census scheduled for 2027. However, these apps are currently restricted to authorized Census personnel only and are not available for public download.
Key Takeaways
- Two official Census apps launched for 2027 digital census trial phase
- Apps restricted to authorized personnel only
- Test phase runs November 10-30 in selected Karnataka districts
- Self-enumeration portal also launched for limited testing
- Collected data will be used for system evaluation only
The app launch follows the recent introduction of a self-enumeration portal (https://test.census.gov.in/se/) that will be tested in selected areas from November 1-7. This portal enables residents in designated zones to submit their details online before field enumerators conduct physical visits.
Test Phase Locations and Timeline
Selected districts in Karnataka—including Bengaluru Urban, Uttara Kannada, and Chamarajanagar—will participate in the digital systems testing phase from November 10-30. The Centre stated this trial is “aimed at testing and refining digital systems for data collection” for the upcoming census.
The initial phase, called ‘House Listing and Housing Operations’ (HLO), will involve 30 questions focused on housing amenities. Importantly, all data collected during this 20-day test “will be purely for system evaluation purposes and will not form part of the official Census database.”
Digital Layout Map (DLM) App Features
The DLM application represents a crucial transition from paper-based records to fully digital Census operations. According to its description, the app will capture comprehensive building data including:
- Building coordinates (latitude and longitude)
- Location names, roads, and street information
- Building numbers and names (where available)
- Building type classification (pucca or kutcha)
- Building usage categories
- Mandatory landmarks
- Number of floors and Census houses
The app replicates traditional Census methodology while specifically excluding collection of personal resident information.
Census 2027-Houselist Application
The companion Census 2027-Houselist app is designed to accelerate the data collection process. Official documentation states it was adopted “to enhance the speed, accuracy, and reliability of the house listing and housing census operations, laying a strong foundation for the upcoming population enumeration phase.”
