Enumerators for India’s first fully digital Census 2027 say they are being pushed to alter field data to match government claims on toilets, LPG use and treated tap water, raising fears of manipulated statistics. A Rajasthan directive flags “discrepancies,” while ground staff, working on personal phones with poor connectivity and low compensation, question whether they are being asked to lie.
ENUMERATORS CONDUCTING THE CENSUS 2027 exercise are being asked to “review” the data they've collected on the field to make sure it aligns with government data. This is particularly the case in areas such as open defecation, household fuel usage (where wood, dung cakes, crop residue or kerosene is being recorded for homes that have LPG connections, especially in urban areas), and drinking water sources (where the option of “tap water from treated source” is reportedly not being selected for most households). A report by The Hindu has raised serious queries related to the ongoing Census 2027 exercise, pointing out discrepancies and dubious practices.
Around 32 lakh enumerators are collecting data for Census 2027 through a mobile application on their personal phones. The application is developed by the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India — the authority responsible for conducting the census every ten years — this marks India’s first fully digital census.
Several enumerators — mostly school teachers and Anganwadi workers — have flagged inconsistencies with the data collected on-ground and official government records.
An enumerator revealed how they are pressured by the higher-ups to deliberately alter data collected from the field so that it matches up with government records.
“In the mobile app, if we enter that a household has a tin roof, we are asked by our superiors to change it to concrete. Are we supposed to lie? Similarly, if the house does not have a toilet and occupants are defecating in the open, we are told to check if there is a toilet nearby, even that of a neighbor or a relative, which they may be using occasionally or even a public urinal. Then the entry can be changed from ‘open defecation’ to having access to a toilet.”
See also: Karnataka completes first ‘Spring Census’; Centre commends state for time-bound effort
In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that India is completely “open defecation free.”
An enumerator from Uttar Pradesh stated they were discouraged to select options that would paint the government in a “bad light.”
Being government officials, we have been asked not to select options that may show the government in a poor light.
As part of the ‘digital census operation,’ a monitoring platform has been developed, called the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS). Via this platform, field operations can be monitored by senior authorities in real-time to “oversee progress, identify gaps or delays, and ensure timely completion of activities in accordance with prescribed timelines.”
On June 2, 2026, the Director of Census Operations (DCO) Rajasthan issued a letter to all district functionaries stating that “during the analysis of field data collected so far, some discrepancies have been noticed.” The letter directed Charge Officers to “verify the block-level data through the CMMS (Census Management and Monitoring System) portal, in accordance with the actual field situation.”
The letter highlighted discrepancies in data collection, particularly on a few key subjects. It flagged the widespread recording of “open defecation” for most households, the use of traditional fuels such as wood, dung cakes, crop residue, and kerosene in households that have LPG connections (especially in urban areas), and the under-selection of “tap water from treated source” in the drinking water section.
The letter also pointed out errors such as marking “no lighting” for households and incorrectly showing internet access even when households did not have a phone (basic, smartphone, or landline). It further instructed that for alternative drinking water sources like rivers, ponds, dams, canals, springs, lakes, or tanks, the option “within premises” should not be selected, and the “near premises” option must be carefully verified.
A senior Census official said the letter was issued to ensure that field data accurately reflects ground realities “without any ambiguity or lack of understanding.” The official added that any discrepancies found after verification by Charge Officers, Sub-Divisional Census Officers, and other senior officials must be corrected, emphasizing that “the quality of data should not be affected due to ambiguity, lack of clarity, or preconceived notions.”
See also: Census 2027 to list houses in 1st phase; collect population, disability data in second: Centre
Enumerators say that some residents also requested them to help avail government facilities and welfare schemes. “Most households in my area of responsibility did not have basic facilities. No roof, door or walls. Where are we supposed to write down the Census household number? The residents assumed that we could help them avail government schemes and services, such as LPG connections, running water, a subsidized house or a toilet and even a pension,” said the enumerator.
This being a ‘digital census,’ Enumerators are required to use their personal phone to input the collected data. The centre provides each enumerator with a mobile recharge of Rs 66. However, internet connectivity in many villages remains poor, rendering the surveys unable to conduct the enumeration process. Anganwadi workers have also pointed out that since they can't shut Anganwadi centres even for a day, they are having much trouble balancing their regular duties with the additional Census-related ones.
The much-delayed national census — the largest statistical exercise in the world — is finally being conducted after a gap of 16 years. Since 1871, the census had been conducted every decade uninterrupted, but in 2021 it was postponed for the first time owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Additionally, it is expected to be independent India's first caste census, though the government has not yet provided further details. The census will be conducted in two phases. The first phase — Houselisting Operations (HLO) — began in April and will conclude by September 2026. The second phase will be the Population Enumeration which will be conducted in February 2027.
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