Self-enumeration deadline nears, but census teams to visit every home

Pune: The window for online self-enumeration ends in four days and enumerators will visit every home from May 16 until June 14, regardless of whether residents have completed the online form."We don't expect everyone to complete self-enumeration. Those who cannot will be covered by census staff during the field visits. Enumerators will visit all buildings and cover every home without exception," Dr Nirupama Dange, chief principal census officer for Maharashtra, said.The portal is a first-time effort and is optional for people comfortable with online forms. Census staff will visit for verification and data collection in the phase I house-listing exercise.The unique ID after self-enumeration will have to be shared with the enumerators during their visits. Phase II where the people in a household will be counted is planned for early 2027.Officials noted that elderly residents and those without access to smartphones or the internet may prefer to wait for enumerators. Pune resident Lata Kulkarni, 68, said she attempted to fill the online form but gave up midway. "Now, I know someone will come home and help me," she said.A three-tier protection system secures information during collection, transmission, and storage. Only authorised personnel can access the data, which remains encrypted throughout. "Digital collection reduces the complexity, cost, and time involved in processing paper forms," officials added.What Citizens Should KnowIf you've self-enumerated, keep your unique ID ready when census staff visitIf not, cooperate with enumerators visiting between May 16 and June 14All enumerators will carry official identification