Patna: A four-day residential training programme for the first batch of master trainers ahead of India’s 2027 census has begun in Patna, as Bihar prepares to train more than 300,000 personnel for what officials describe as one of the country’s largest administrative exercises.
The training, held at the Revenue (Survey) Training Institute in Shastri Nagar, is being conducted under the Directorate of Census Operations, Bihar. Forty-eight master trainers from districts across the state are taking part in the initial session, which focuses on the first phase of the census: house listing and door-to-door surveys.
According to M Ramachandraudu, director of the Directorate of Census Operations, Bihar, the 2027 census will involve more than 3.2 million personnel nationwide, with over 3,00,000 deployed in Bihar alone. He said 140 master trainers in the state would be responsible for preparing the workforce, describing them as the “most crucial link” in the process.
“If the master trainers do not fully understand the material, it will affect the entire district,” he said, adding that the four-day course follows a nationally developed module designed to ensure consistency and competence. Separate training will be organised for the second phase of the census, scheduled for February 2027.
For the first time, the census will be conducted in digital mode. Officials said data will be collected across 33 parameters during the house listing and door-to-door survey. Residents will also be encouraged to self-enumerate using a mobile application, allowing them to submit their details directly.
The entire process will be monitored through the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS), aimed at improving transparency and efficiency. Officials said the shift to a digital platform would eliminate the need for compilation sheets, with all information entered directly into an online portal currently under development.
Ajeev Vatsraj, additional secretary in the Revenue and Land Reforms Department, said the training was “extremely serious and important” and urged participants to approach it with diligence. He encouraged master trainers to clarify doubts promptly, emphasising that the accuracy of the exercise would depend on their preparedness.
Senior officials from the Directorate of Census Operations and the Revenue and Land Reforms Department led sessions on survey procedures, digital data entry and monitoring protocols.
Vijay Kumar Sinha, Bihar’s deputy chief minister and revenue and land reforms minister, described the census as “not just an administrative process, but a cornerstone of nation-building”. He said it underpins development policy, equitable resource distribution and long-term planning.
“The participation of approximately three lakh personnel in Bihar and the responsibility of 140 master trainers reflects the comprehensive nature of this campaign,” he said. “The digital process and monitoring system will ensure transparency, accuracy and timeliness.”
He called on trainers and census personnel to treat the exercise as a national duty and an opportunity for public service, adding that Bihar aimed to set an example in the implementation of the 2027 census.
