Census 2027 Self-Enumeration Begins in West Bengal: How To Apply Online, Last Date and Key Details

The self-enumeration process for Census 2027 officially began in West Bengal on Saturday, August 1, and will remain open for the next 15 days until August 15. Residents of the state can now log on to a dedicated government portal and submit their household details online ahead of door-to-door verification by enumerators.

How to Complete Self-Enumeration

Citizens can complete the process by visiting the official website, se.census.gov.in, and filling in the mandatory information fields sought in the form. Once the details are successfully entered and the form is submitted, the website generates an 11-digit self-enumeration ID.

Individuals are required to retain this ID and share it with enumerators when they visit their homes later for verification purposes. Census 2027: What Are the 33 Questions for Phase 1? Full List Here.

Is It Compulsory, and Are Documents Needed?

According to Kolkata Municipal Corporation Commissioner Smita Pandey, who also serves as the principal census officer for the KMC jurisdiction, residents will not need to upload or submit any supporting documents while filling out the self-enumeration form. Census 2027: PM Narendra Modi-Led Cabinet Approves Proposal; Digital Count To Deploy 30 Lakh Personnel and Include Caste Data.

The same rule will apply when enumerators visit households later for verification, meaning no physical documents will be required at that stage either.

While self-enumeration is being encouraged as a faster and paperless option, those who do not complete the online process will still be covered through the traditional door-to-door enumeration conducted by field staff.

Why West Bengal Started Late

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari addressed the delayed rollout of the exercise in the state, attributing it to the earlier Trinamool Congress government led by Mamata Banerjee.

He said the Union Government had sent a communication to the previous state administration in February last year asking it to begin preparations, but claimed no response or action followed.

Adhikari stated that the earlier state Cabinet did not take up the exercise for political reasons, which he said resulted in West Bengal falling behind other states on the census timeline.

About Census 2027

Census 2027 marks the 16th census since the practice began in the country and the 8th since Independence. It is also the first fully digital census, with enumerators using a dedicated mobile application to collect data electronically instead of relying solely on paper forms.

The self-enumeration facility, available on the census portal, is being rolled out in phases across different states and Union Territories, with Tamil Nadu and Tripura among the first regions where the process began in July.

Officials have said the shift to digital data collection is aimed at improving accuracy and speeding up the release of census data compared to earlier enumeration cycles.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 01, 2026 08:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).