PUNE: Self-enumeration for Census 2027 began on Friday across the state with senior officials stating that data protection and physical verification will remain central to the exercise, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality.Nirupama J Dange, joint secretary to Government of India and chief principal census officer for Maharashtra, said that the individual or household data collected is confidential as per Section 15 of Census Act, 1948, and it is not open to inspection.“It cannot be produced as evidence in any court and therefore, cannot be misused,’’ she added.Digital records will be preserved till the next census as per rules after tabulation and processing, and the anonymised data records will protect the identification ofindividual-level data. However, correction or deletion of data is not possible after final submission by the enumerator and the supervisor.“Confidentiality of the data is ofhigh importance and hence is exempt even under RTI,” Dange added.She clarified that while self-enumeration is encouraged as part of Digital Census2027, it is not mandatory. “Enumerators and supervisors will visit every house without omission, collect the self-enumeration IDs and confirm the data before uploading it,” Dange said, underlining that physical enumeration will be indispensable in rural, tribal and low-connectivity regions.The population enumeration phase will start in Feb 2027, except for regions expecting snowfall in winter, which will be surveyed this Sept. Dange said the population enumeration has a strict definition for inclusion. Residents of hostels, paying-guest accommodations, shared flats and gated communities will be covered under this framework.All household residents available during the enumeration period will be included. Visitors staying for the entire duration will also be included provided they are not enumerated elsewhere.ONE HOUSEHOLD, ONE FORM & ONE CELLPHONE NUMBERImportant DatesSelf-enumeration window: May 1 to May 15, 2026Door-to-door visits: May 16 to June 14, 2026Census 2027 Phase IThe 33 questions were notified under Section 8(1) of the Census Act, 1948. Information will range from structural details of houses and household composition to access to basic amenities and ownership of assets, for a comprehensive snapshot of living conditions across urban and rural areas.Self-entry in Marathi, Hindi or EnglishQuestions:Building number (Municipal or local authority or census number)House numberFloor materialWall materialRoof materialUse of houseCondition of the houseNumber of people normally residing in the householdName of the head of the householdSex of the head of the householdWhether the head of the household belongs to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/OthersOwnership status of the houseNumber of dwelling rooms exclusively in possession of the householdNumber of married couple(s) in the householdMain source of drinking waterAvailability of drinking water sourceMain source of lightingAccess to latrineType of latrineWaste water outletAvailability of bathing facilityAvailability of kitchen and LPG/PNG connectionMain fuel used for cookingAssets possessed by the household & other informationRadio/TransistorTelevisionAccess to the internetLaptop/computerTelephone/cellphones/smartphoneBicycle/scooter/motorcycle/mopedCar/jeep/vanMain cereal consumed in the householdCellphone number (for census-related communications)HOW TO ENTER INFORMATIONStepActionDetailsSTEP 1REGISTRATIONGo to https://se.census.gov.in; Select StateSTEP 2HOUSEHOLD REGISTRATIONEnter head of household’s name, which cannot be changed; Ten-digit cellphone number (only one per household); Email ID is optionalSTEP 3LANGUAGE & OTP VERIFICATIONChoose your preferred language from Marathi, Hindi or English (no changes allowed later); Enter the OTP sent to your registered cellphone numberSTEP 4LOCATION DETAILSFill in district, pincode, village, town, localitySTEP 5LOCATE RESIDENCE ON MAPDrag the red marker to pinpoint your exact home; Confirm your locationSTEP 6COMPLETE THE QUESTIONNAIREFill all required details under houselisting, housing, census questionnaire; Use tooltips/FAQs if neededSTEP 7PREVIEW & REVIEWDouble check all entries; You can edit details, save draft for later or proceed and submitSTEP 8FINAL SUBMISSIONClick "Final Submit" to lock data; No changes allowed after submission; You will receive a unique 11-digit self-enumeration ID via SMS/emailSTEP 9ENUMERATOR’S VISITEnumerator will visit your home between May 16 and June 14, 2026; Share your SE ID; If details match, the data will be confirmed; If not, fresh data will be collectedFOR SMOOTH COMPLETIONUse accurate and final information (some fields cannot be edited later)Mark the exact location on the mapReview all details before final submissionKeep your cellphone handy for the OTP