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As per a January 2026 notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Census will be conducted in two phases. (File Photo)
With the nationwide Census exercise scheduled to begin with house-listing operations in May 2026 and population enumeration set for February 2027, the administration in Chandigarh has stepped up preparations, dividing Chandigarh into 10 Census Charges and earmarking nearly 2,800 functionaries for the massive data-collection drive.
The preparedness was reviewed at a UT-level conference chaired by Chief Secretary H Rajesh Prasad, who stressed the importance of precision and coordination in what he described as one of the most complex administrative exercises.
Senior UT officers, including Home Secretary Mandip Singh Brar, Finance Secretary Diprava Lakra, Education Secretary Prerna Puri, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Amit Kumar, Director-cum-Chief Principal Census Officer Dr. Navjot Khosa, and Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Census Officer Nishant Kumar Yadav, attended the meeting.
As per officials, proceedings began with a short film explaining the Census process, followed by a detailed presentation on planning, training, and logistics. Officials highlighted that every functionary must fully understand operational guidelines and training modules to eliminate errors and ensure that no household or individual is left uncounted. After training, House Listing Block Creation will be finalised to guarantee complete geographic coverage.
As per a January 2026 notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Census will be conducted in two phases. Training for officers is scheduled from February to April 2026, with structured sessions between February 19 and April 29. Authorities said the UT’s 10 Census Charges have been placed under designated officers, including SDMs and senior department heads, with clearly defined ward-wise jurisdictions to strengthen accountability and supervision, said a UT official.
The enumeration will be conducted entirely in digital mode using dedicated applications such as the Census Management Monitoring System and HLB Creator App. A five-tier cascade training model has been adopted to standardise capacity building and ensure data quality at every level.
Following the review meeting, a specialised training session for Charge Officers was also held to familiarise them with digital tools, field protocols, monitoring systems, and supervisory responsibilities. The administration has directed departments to hold regular review meetings and maintain close inter-departmental coordination to ensure smooth execution of the Census process.
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