Shillong, May 16: The first phase of Census 2027 operations in Meghalaya will commence from May 16, 2026, with the launch of the House Listing and Housing Census (HLO) field operations across the state. The month-long exercise will continue till June 14, 2026, covering all 12 districts of Meghalaya through a fully digital mode of data collection.
A press conference was held today at the Shillong Press Club by Press Information Bureau, Shillong in association with Directorate of Census Operations, Meghalaya to brief media representatives on the operational framework, preparedness measures, digital methodology, and progress of the ongoing Self Enumeration activities.
The press conference was addressed by Biswajit Pegu, Director of Census Operations, Meghalaya, Government of India. Other senior officials present included Subhasish Chatterjee, Joint Director; B. Basumatary, Deputy Director; and Aibor Sanglyne, Deputy Director from the Directorate of Census Operations, Meghalaya. The programme was coordinated by Gopajit Das, Assistant Director, PIB Shillong.
Addressing the media, Shri Biswajit Pegu informed that 8,309 Enumerators and Supervisors have been appointed across Meghalaya for conducting the House Listing and Housing Census. A total of 9,950 House Listing Blocks (HLBs) have been finalized across the state for Census 2027 operations.
He stated that the House Listing and Housing Census phase forms the foundation of the entire Census exercise and will collect information relating to housing conditions, drinking water sources, sanitation facilities, household amenities, and assets. Enumerators will visit every building and household during the 30-day field operation to ensure complete and accurate coverage.
Shri Pegu further informed that Census 2027 is being conducted through a digital-first approach. Enumerators will collect and submit data directly through the official Mobile Application using their smartphones under the “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) framework. The digital system is expected to improve data accuracy, reduce manual errors, and enable real-time monitoring of field operations.
The Directorate also informed that Meghalaya has achieved 100 percent geo-tagging and demarcation of all House Listing Blocks across the state during the preparatory phase. The exercise covered all 12 districts, 7428 villages, and 9 towns, ensuring complete readiness for the commencement of field operations. East Khasi Hills recorded the highest number of HLBs at 2,159, followed by West Garo Hills with 1,488 HLBs.
On the Self-Enumeration process, officials informed that the online Self-Enumeration phase, which commenced on May 1, 2026, will conclude at midnight today. Citizens were able to submit their household details digitally through the Self-Enumeration portal. Officials stated that Meghalaya has witnessed encouraging public participation in the process, with West Khasi Hills recording the highest number of Self-Enumeration entries, followed by East Khasi Hills and West Garo Hills.
Shri Pegu clarified that data submitted through the Self-Enumeration portal will be physically verified by Enumerators during house visits, and only verified data will be uploaded through the HLO application.
Officials further informed that extensive training has been provided to Enumerators and Supervisors on census concepts, operational procedures, and the effective use of digital applications for accurate data collection.
During the initial days of operation, enumerators will verify House Listing Block boundaries, identify landmarks, prepare layout maps and number buildings and houses before commencing household data collection.
The Directorate emphasized that a robust quality assurance mechanism has been put in place, including real-time supervision, field inspections, and re-verification wherever necessary. Offline data collection options have also been enabled in areas with poor network connectivity.
Calling upon citizens to actively cooperate with census personnel, Shri Pegu stated that public participation is essential for ensuring an accurate and inclusive Census database that will support future planning, welfare delivery and developmental initiatives across the state.
