Patna: The rollout of Census 2027 in Bihar has begun with a strong push towards digital self-enumeration from today, but a key restriction has emerged: residents studying outside the state will not be able to submit their details through the online portal.
Residents can self-register their household details online by visiting the official web portal at http://se.census.gov.in – no enumerator visit required for this step. This self-enumeration phase will run until May 1.
Announcing the guidelines, Thyagarajan S. M., district magistrate of Patna, said the rules governing this year’s census exercise are “strict and explicit”, as authorities prepare for the first phase beginning May 2.
Under the framework, individuals can submit responses to 33 questions through the official census portal by May 1. However, students residing outside Bihar have been excluded from this self-enumeration facility.
Officials said that while tenants and migrant workers living at their place of work will be able to submit their details online, students studying outside the state will have to be covered through other modes of enumeration.
प्रधान जनगणना अधिकारी-सह-जिलाधिकारी, पटना ने पटना समाहरणालय में आयोजित एक प्रेस कांफ्रेंस में कहा कि जनगणना जैसे अत्यंत महत्वपूर्ण एवं व्यापक प्रशासनिक कार्य को सफलतापूर्वक संपन्न कराने के उद्देश्य से जिला प्रशासन, पटना द्वारा सभी तैयारी की गई है। विभिन्न प्रखंडों एवं नगर निकायों… pic.twitter.com/cLmz9cR9dK
— District Administration Patna (@dm_patna) April 16, 2026
Two-Phase Census Exercise
The census will be conducted in two phases, with house listing and enumeration scheduled between May 2 and May 31. The process includes numbering of houses and collection of detailed demographic and socio-economic data.
Authorities said the digital self-enumeration option is aimed at streamlining the process and improving accuracy, though certain categories remain restricted under current guidelines.
Preparations Underway In Patna
In Patna district, the exercise will be carried out across 46 designated charge areas, with thousands of enumerators and supervisors deployed.
Grassroots workers, including members of JEEViKA and Anganwadi staff, have been mobilised to conduct awareness campaigns and ensure wider participation.
Data Confidentiality Assured
Officials emphasised that all information collected during the census will remain confidential and will be used solely for policy formulation and governance planning.
No documents will be collected from respondents during the process, the administration said, aiming to minimise inconvenience and encourage participation.
The census, officials noted, forms the backbone of planning across sectors such as education, healthcare, employment and infrastructure, making it one of the most critical data-gathering exercises undertaken by the government.
