Low online response in Maharashtra digital census

Maharashtra’s first digital census drew a limited online response in its opening self-enumeration window, according to state-level figures reported on May 17. Loksatta said 1,260,950 households in the state began the online process and 1,114,277 completed it. The self-enumeration phase opened on May 1 as part of Census 2027, which the central government has described as India’s first digital census. Households that finished the online process must provide their 11-digit self-enumeration ID to census staff during house visits, the newspaper reported. ### How many households actually finished the online census form? Loksatta reported that 1,114,277 households completed self-enumeration in Maharashtra, while 1,260,950 households initiated the process. The figures indicate that more than 146,000 households that started the online exercise did not complete it. (loksatta.com) Pune district recorded the highest number of completed self-enumerations at 153,000 households, Loksatta said. Mumbai Suburban followed with 121,000 households and Thane with 116,000 households, according to the same report. ### When did Maharashtra open the digital census, and who launched it? (loksatta.com) May 1 marked the launch of self-enumeration in Maharashtra, according to Raj Bhavan Maharashtra. The state said Governor Jishnu Dev Varma launched Census 2027 with self-enumeration at Lok Bhavan in Mumbai on that date. March 30 was the date on which Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Mritunjay Kumar Narayan said Census 2027 would be conducted digitally for the first time and would include a self-enumeration option. (loksatta.com) The Press Information Bureau said the census would run in two phases, with self-enumeration offered for 15 days before house-to-house houselisting in each state or union territory. (rajbhavan-maharashtra.gov.in) ### How small is that response compared with Maharashtra’s household base? The 2011 Census counted more than 24.4 million households in Maharashtra, Loksatta reported. Of those, about 13.2 million were in rural areas and about 11.2 million were in urban areas, the report said. Those 2011 figures mean the 1.11 million completed online submissions represent only a small share of the state’s household base, based on the latest official household count publicly cited in the report. (pib.gov.in) The comparison is an inference from the reported 2026 self-enumeration total and the 2011 Census household count. (loksatta.com) ### What problems were reported during the online rollout? Mid-day reported on May 14 that many users struggled with technical steps in the online process, including marking their location on digital maps. The newspaper said poor internet access and difficulties completing online forms contributed to households dropping out before submission. (loksatta.com) Mid-day also reported that, with two days left in the self-enumeration period, 768,000 people had successfully registered their households online and about 12% of applicants who began the process had abandoned it midway. That report cited officials describing operational difficulties during the rollout. (mid-day.com) ### What happens to households that did not complete self-enumeration? May 16 to June 14 is the period during which enumerators are due to visit households that did not use or complete the self-enumeration facility, Loksatta reported. The report said staff will carry out registration in person during those visits. (mid-day.com) The Press Information Bureau said Phase I of Census 2027 covers houselisting and housing data, including information on housing conditions, amenities and household assets. Phase II, the population enumeration stage, is scheduled for February 2027, with the census reference date set at 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027, except for specified snow-bound areas. (pib.gov.in) (loksatta.com)