Census 2027 data fully protected under Census Act, 1948, says A.P. Director of Census Operations

Andhra Pradesh Director of Census Operations and Director of Citizen Registrations, J. Nivas, has assured citizens that their personal information would remain fully protected, and said the ongoing Census 2027 was giving the highest priority to data safety and confidentiality.

In an interaction with The Hindu, Mr. Nivas said all information collected during the Census was safeguarded under the Census Act, 1948, particularly Section 15, which ensures that individual data cannot be shared under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, used as evidence in courts, or disclosed to any institution. “People can participate without fear. The data is meant only for statistical purposes and national planning,” he said.

Addressing concerns expressed by the public, Mr. Nivas said the Census did not collect sensitive personal details such as bank account numbers, Aadhaar information, income or land ownership records. He said the exercise was not linked to scrutiny or removal of welfare benefits. “The data is used only to design and improve schemes related to housing, electricity, sanitation and other essential services,” he said, adding that modern digital systems further enhanced security through OTP-based authentication, monitored access, and secure data transfer without storage on mobile devices.

The Director said Census 2027 would be conducted in two phases. The first phase, House Listing and Housing Census, has been under way in the State, beginning on May 1, 2026, for 30 days, with a 15-day self-enumeration window preceding it. The information entered through self-enumeration is being verified and accepted by the enumerators in these 30 days. This phase will capture details about housing conditions, amenities and household assets, and will lay the groundwork for the next stage. The second phase, Population Enumeration, is scheduled for February 2027 and will collect detailed demographic, socio-economic, cultural, migration and fertility data.

Mr. Nivas said the Census would be the largest such exercise in the world, and would feature mobile-based data collection, geo-referenced mapping, and near real-time monitoring through the Census Management and Monitoring System. Self-enumeration will allow citizens to enter their own details, reducing the workload and improving accuracy, with enumerators verifying the information during visits.

The Director said measures had been put in place to avoid duplication by counting individuals at their usual place of residence based on a continuous-stay criterion. He said special efforts would be made to cover the homeless, tribal populations and transgender communities through targeted plans.

Mr. Nivas said the Census was a global model for large-scale data collection, and public cooperation was essential. “Accurate information from every household will help the government plan effectively and ensure that development benefits reach all sections of society,” he said.