Sikkim gears up for 2027 census, house listing phase to begin from April 16

Sikkim has initiated groundwork for the 2027 Census, with authorities confirming that the first phase of enumeration will begin on April 16. 

The exercise, overseen by the Directorate of Census Operations, will start with the house listing and housing census, a crucial preliminary stage that focuses on assessing residential structures and basic amenities across the state.

According to officials, including Director Karma R. Bonpo, this phase will run until May 15, 2026, during which enumerators will conduct door-to-door visits to gather data on housing conditions and access to facilities. Around 2,500 enumerators drawn from various government departments have already been deployed and will undergo training before the fieldwork begins.

In a notable shift towards digitisation, the government has also enabled a self-enumeration option through an online portal. Residents opting for this method can submit their details digitally and later share a generated ID with field enumerators for verification and final submission.

Authorities emphasised that the census remains a foundational tool for governance, feeding into policy formulation, welfare planning, and the delimitation of electoral constituencies. Officials have urged citizens to cooperate fully and provide accurate responses to the 33 notified questions.

Reassuring the public on data privacy, the Directorate stated that all information collected will remain strictly confidential under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948, and will be used solely for statistical purposes.