NEW DELHI: Amit Sharma, IAS, Director Census Operations (DCO) and Director Citizen Registration (DCR), Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, for the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, has described the upcoming Digital Census 2027 as a “real game changer” for the nation.
He was speaking at Arohana 2025 – Growth with Impact, a prestigious Government Summit organised by Deloitte in New Delhi over the last two days. Amit Sharma was invited as a keynote speaker and subject specialist to lead a high-powered panel discussion on the theme “India’s First Digital Census: Redefining Data for a New Bharat.”
The panel also featured Neeta Verma, former IT Consultant to the Election Commission of India, and Sudeepta K, Chief Innovation Officer, Deloitte South Asia, who moderated the session.
Highlighting the significance of the initiative, Amit Sharma said that India will conduct its first-ever paperless digital census since inception, driven by innovation and advanced technology. He noted that the Digital Census would have a far-reaching impact on India’s economy, demography, governance, policymaking, and even trade and commerce.
He informed the gathering that the census process will leverage Artificial Intelligence-based tools for faster data processing and automatic real-time data updates through a dedicated mobile application available on Android and iOS platforms. This, he said, would enable speedier policy formulation, informed corporate decision-making, and enhanced integration with the global economy.
Amit Sharma further stated that the data centres of the Office of the Registrar General of India, located in Bengaluru, Lucknow, and Delhi, are fully equipped to handle the massive volume of data expected after the successful completion of both the House Listing Operations (HLO) and Population Enumeration (PE) phases.
One of the most notable features of the Digital Census, he revealed, will be “Self Enumeration”, a novel initiative that allows citizens to fill in their census details themselves through a designated application. The information will later be verified by enumerators and supervisors during household visits.
Before concluding the session, Amit Sharma urged participants to act as ambassadors for Census 2027, stressing the importance of public participation. He shared that a nationwide awareness campaign, featuring star endorsements and extensive use of social media platforms such as reels, short videos, and digital demonstrations, is being planned to educate citizens about the census, which will take place after a gap of more than one-and-a-half decades.
The organisers from Deloitte South Asia expressed their appreciation to Amit Sharma for his insightful and impactful presentation, stating that his lucid explanation of the Digital Census 2027 made the subject engaging and accessible for all delegates attending Arohana 2025 in the national capital.
