Patna: The Bihar government has launched preparations for the national census due in 2027, with officials confirming that the exercise will be carried out entirely digitally for the first time.
A meeting of the State Level Census Coordination Committee (SLCCC), chaired by Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit on Friday, finalised the timeline and framework. The census will be held in two phases: house listing and enumeration between April and September 2026, followed by the actual enumeration from February 9 to 28, 2027.
Officials underlined that the census is a time-bound programme, with all pre-examinations, gazette notifications, and guidelines required to be issued promptly. Administrative boundaries will remain unchanged between December 31, 2025, and March 31, 2027, covering 534 rural and 263 urban units.
For the first time, digital platforms will replace paper records. The Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) portal will support house listing blocks, digital layout maps, and public access to information. Enumerators and supervisors will be appointed and trained digitally, with mobile applications used for data collection.
Pre-testing is scheduled for October and November 2025 in Dumra (Sitamarhi), Rajauli (Nawada), and Sonpur (Saran), covering 448 blocks. District magistrates have been asked to provide lists of enumerators and supervisors by September 25, with at least a quarter to half of the proposed staff required to participate.
The meeting also discussed funding and infrastructure. Of the Rs 37.47 crore allocated for the postponed 2021 Census, Rs 36.53 crore will be diverted to pre-testing work. A request has been made for land to build a dedicated headquarters for the Bihar Census Directorate.
Senior officials from the departments of Revenue, Education, Finance, Planning, Social Welfare, Panchayati Raj, Urban Development, Rural Development, IT, and Statistics attended, along with district magistrates of Sitamarhi, Nawada, and Saran. The Director of the Directorate of Census Operations, Union Home Ministry, joined as convener.
