In a first, census data could be collected using mobile app

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba has said that mobile apps could greatly assist in collecting census data in the country - a practice which started here 140 years ago.

New Delhi: Census 2021 data could make use of advanced mobile technology for the first time ever in India with officials of  Registrar General of India saying on Tuesday that enumerators would be encouraged to use their own mobile phone.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba said at a conference here that 33 lakh enumerators would be mobilized for data collection for which notification has already been issued. Enumerators are people specifically employed to collect census data. Gauba said that mobile apps could greatly assist in collecting census data in the country - a practice which started here 140 years ago. Gauba also added that enumerators would be paid appropriate remuneration if they make use of their mobile phones of even if they collect data through regular means and then submit them electronically.

Making use of technology has its fair share of pitfalls but Gauba has said that confidentiality would be maintained at all costs. He further asked participants – representatives from Ministries of Central and State governments, academic institutions and international organizations--  to deliberate on the strategy and questionnaire for the census to maximize the benefits from this exercise.

Census 2021 data has been described as the world's largest such exercise and reference date is 1st October 2020 for Jammu & Kashmir and snow bound areas of Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand  while for the rest of country the reference date is 1st March 2021.