NEW DELHI: A new scam has hit the capital related to Census 2027. Even as senior Census officials clarified that the upcoming Census exercise will be conducted completely online and does not involve any paperwork, fraudulent forms resembling a Census survey document are being circulated in the city.
According to the sources, reports have emerged of some households in north-east and east Delhi where the residents were handed printed forms seeking details of their housing conditions, family members, ownership status, drinking water, toilets, cooking fuel and electronic devices.
Sources termed the form fake and cautioned residents against sharing personal information with unidentified individuals. The Census process is fully digital, and no paper forms are being used for data collection, said the officials, warning citizens not to hand over sensitive information to anyone. The official said that mobile phones are being used primarily by the enumerators and supervisors.
According to them, the form circulating in some localities carries columns seeking extensive socio-economic details, including mobile phone ownership, internet access, vehicles and housing facilities. Residents were advised to verify the identity of any person claiming to be associated with the census exercise and to rely only on official government communication regarding the enumeration process.
“Census enumerators and supervisors are carrying ID cards with QR codes, which can be scanned, and the identity of census officials can be verified,” they said.
The house-listing exercise, which started on May 16, has commenced for 250 MCD wards. Enumerators have reached out to at least 25,000 blocks till Thursday to map structures, assess housing conditions and list assets. Under self-enumeration, residents will log on to the census portal and fill in information about their households. Only one login per household will be required, and the head of the family or any other member can complete the process using a mobile number.
The exercise is being conducted with over 50,000 enumerators in the capital. Census 2027 will mark India’s 16th Census and the eighth since Independence. Notably, it is the first time that citizens have been given the option of self-enumeration through a digital platform, reflecting a broader push towards technology-driven governance.
Census survey records are strictly confidential and protected under Section 15 of the Census Act, 1948. Such records are not open to public inspection and are not admissible as evidence in civil or criminal proceedings other than a prosecution under this Act or any other law for any act or omission which constitutes an offence under the Act, the officials said.
No paperwork
Census 2027 survey is being conducted digitally and doesn’t involve any paperwork
Enumerators/supervisors carry official ID cards with QR codes for verification
Residents can also complete self-enumeration online through the census portal