Patna: The second phase of the census in Bihar is expected to be conducted over 35 days from January 23 to February 28, according to the provisional schedule issued by the Census Directorate.
Before the house-to-house enumeration begins, residents will get 15 days to complete self-enumeration online. People will be able to visit the official census portal, censusindia.gov.in, and answer 40 questions about their households and family members.
After submitting the details, residents will receive an acknowledgement on their mobile phones. They will have to preserve the acknowledgement and show it to the enumerator when officials visit their homes between January 23 and February 28.
The schedule is provisional and the formal notification is expected to be issued soon.
Nearly 3 Lakh Personnel To Be Deployed
The second phase will involve around 3 lakh personnel, including approximately 2.78 lakh enumerators.
Training preparations have also begun. A three-day training programme for 110 personnel of the Census Directorate started on Tuesday, while district magistrates will receive training on October 22.
Further training programmes for census personnel at the district level are expected to begin from the third week of November.
Earlier Census Workers To Continue Despite Transfers
The Census Directorate has instructed authorities to retain personnel who worked in the first phase even if they have since been transferred.
The direction follows concerns raised by the Union Home Ministry over the transfer of personnel involved in census work. Officials have been asked to ensure continuity by assigning the same workers to the second phase wherever required.
How Is The Second Phase Different?
The first phase of the census was conducted from May 2 to May 31 over 30 days. Around 2.25 lakh personnel were deployed during this phase to enumerate houses and collect information through 32 questions.
The second phase will focus on individual and population enumeration rather than house listing. It will have a longer 35-day schedule and involve nearly 3 lakh personnel.
Public Facilities Survey Completed
The separate survey of public facilities in rural and urban areas has also been completed. The survey involved 420 questions and was completed on August 30.
The process of correcting errors identified during the survey was completed on September 30.
Preparations Underway
According to Census Directorate Director Ranjita, preparations for the second phase are continuing.
Master trainers have already completed their training in Delhi, while district-level training programmes are scheduled to begin from the third week of November.
The upcoming exercise will therefore combine online self-enumeration with door-to-door verification, allowing residents to submit their details digitally before completing the census process with visiting enumerators.
