Patna: Administrative preparations for India’s 2026 census have gathered pace in Patna, where authorities plan to deploy 4,461 personnel across the city to carry out a fully digital enumeration exercise monitored through geo-fencing technology.
The Patna Municipal Corporation has drawn up a detailed zone-wise list of enumerators and supervisors, as officials seek to ensure transparency and minimise the risk of data manipulation. Senior officers say the introduction of technology-driven safeguards is intended to improve both accuracy and accountability in what is expected to be one of the largest data-gathering exercises in the city.
The distribution of personnel varies significantly across zones. Patliputra zone will have the highest number of census staff, with 1,079 enumerators and supervisors assigned to the area. By contrast, Patna City zone will have the lowest deployment, at 445.
In other parts of the city, 806 personnel will be stationed in Nutan Rajdhani, 725 in Kankarbagh, 652 in Bankipur and 753 in Azimabad. Executive officers in each zone will oversee the work of enumerators and coordinate implementation on the ground.
To support the transition to a technology-based process, 58 field trainers have been appointed. In line with district administration directives, senior school teachers have been tasked with training census staff and supervisors in tablet usage, digital data entry and troubleshooting field-level challenges. District-level workshops are expected to be held shortly to ensure that the enumeration process is completed within deadlines and without errors.
For the first time in the city, the census will be conducted entirely through digital devices. Each enumerator will be issued a tablet embedded with a unique identification code and location link. Officials say geo-fencing will restrict data entry to designated areas; if a worker attempts to upload information from outside the assigned location, the system will generate an immediate alert.
Authorities believe the digital approach will reduce processing time and improve data reliability. The information collected is expected to inform future planning on infrastructure, housing, health, education and broader urban development in the Bihar capital, shaping policy decisions and budget allocations in the years ahead.
