Odisha Census 2026: State Prepares for First Phase with 1 Lakh Enumerators, Online Data Collection

Image Source: Internet

The Odisha government has announced plans to begin the first phase of the census exercise from April 2026, with over one lakh enumerators set to be engaged in the process. The final population count is expected to take place in February 2027. According to Director of Census Operations in Odisha, Nikhil Pavan Kalyan, the first phase will involve house listing and housing census operations, which will be completed within a one-month period. The census exercise will be conducted in two phases. The primary population enumeration phase is scheduled to take place from February 9 to February 28, 2027. A brief revision round will follow in early March 2027 to ensure that no resident is left out of the count. Preparations are underway, with at least one lakh enumerators and 15,000 supervisors set to be involved in the process. Each enumerator will be responsible for covering around 200 houses, which is approximately 800 people. To ensure their services, enumerators will receive a financial incentive of ₹25,000. Training for enumerators and other staff will be held in January, February, and March 2026. The census will be largely conducted online, with around 90% of data collection expected to take place through digital mode. Interested individuals can also provide their information by registering on the official website using an OTP-based mobile verification system. To maintain data security, features like screenshots from the app will be disabled, and one mobile number can only be used once. The pre-test surveys have already been completed in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, and the boundaries of newly declared NACs and municipalities have been finalised, ensuring a smooth census process. With preparations underway, the Odisha government is set to conduct a successful census exercise in 2026.