General FAQs about Self-Enumeration 1. What is the Self-Enumeration? Self-Enumeration is a process where respondents fill out, complete, and submit the census schedule themselves, rather than having it done by a census enumerator. The Self-Enumeration Portal is an official online platform by the Office of Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India that allows residents to fill out their detailed information for Census 2027 from the comfort of their homes. 2. What are the benefits of Self-Enumeration? Self-Enumeration makes it easier for you to fill your own information at your own convenience through a web portal. This will also save your time. It ensures better accuracy, since you enter your own information. It provides an increased sense of privacy as you are entering your data directly. It makes the Enumerator’s job faster and easier. It helps the Census process becomes more efficient 3. Can all types of Households, namely Normal, Institutional and Houseless do Self-Enumeration? No. Only Normal Households can do Self-Enumeration 4. When can I do the Self-Enumeration in Census 2027? During the Houselisting and Housing Census phase, Self-Enumeration portal will remain open for 15 days just before the start of house to house Houselisting Operations of 30 days in the respective States/UTs. State-wise dates of Self- Enumeration For Population Enumeration phase, period of Self-Enumeration will be notified later. 5. Is Self-Enumeration mandatory? No, it is optional. You will still be covered by enumerators who will visit households that haven’t self-enumerated. However, it is encouraged as a convenient and efficient way to participate in the Census. 6. I am an Indian Citizen and live outside India. Can I get counted in Census through Self-Enumeration? No. The Self-Enumeration portal is restricted within the geographical boundary of India. FAQS about Self-Enumeration process 1. Can I self-enumerate in any language? Self-Enumeration may be done in English and 15 Indian languages. 2. Do I need internet to self-enumerate? Yes. An internet connection is required to access and submit information on the portal. 3. How do I log in to the Census Self-Enumeration Portal? Select your State/UT name in the Self-Enumeration Portal with Captcha verification and then write the name of the head of household, mobile number and email (optional). An OTP will be sent to the mobile and email (if provided) for verification. Select the language for doing SE and enter the OTP to begin self-enumeration. 4. What if the OTP is not received? Ensure the mobile number entered is correct. Also, check if the mobile network has good strength. If the issue persists, wait for a few minutes and then try again. 5. What should I do if the portal is not working? Try refreshing the page or accessing it later. If the issue persists, contact the Census helpline or email support listed on the portal." 6. What happens after I submit my information in Self-Enumeration Portal? After submission, your unique Self-Enumeration ID (SE ID) will be displayed in the screen. You will also receive a confirmation SMS and e-mail (if provided) with Self-Enumeration ID (SE ID). Please preserve this for sharing with the Census Enumerator when she/he visits your household during HLO. 7. What is the use of SE ID? After submitting your details, you’ll get a unique 11 digit SE ID (prefixed by H) by SMS and Email (if provided). \n If you do not provide a correct SE ID, the Enumerator will collect all the required data by asking you again." 8. What if I forget or lose my SE ID? You can retrieve your SE ID using the SE portal with your registered mobile number. You can also seek the help of the Enumerator during his/her visit to your house. 9. Will the Enumerator still visit my house if I Self-Enumerate? Yes. The Enumerator will visit your household. If you’ve self-enumerated, you need to share your SE ID for verification. The enumerator will add few more data points like Building Number, Census House Number, Use of Census House etc. After verification of the responses, she/he will finally upload the data." 10. Can I edit my information after submitting in the portal? The portal allows you to save your progress as a draft. You must complete and submit the form within the period specified for your State/UT. You can edit or revise your details until you finally submit the form or until the last day of self-enumeration in your State/UT. After submission or once the self-enumeration period is over, changes can only be made by the Enumerator during household verification. 11. Is my information safe on the Self-Enumeration Portal? Yes. All data is encrypted and protected. Data will be encrypted and stored in secure government servers with strict cybersecurity and privacy safeguards." 12. Do I need to upload any documents for SE? No documents are required to be uploaded. However, you must provide accurate information as per your knowledge and belief." 13. Can I complete self-enumeration for my family members? Yes. The Head of the Household or any responsible adult member can fill in the details for all the normally residing members of their household using the single household access. The respondent can enter details of all family members living in the household during Population Enumeration Phase in 2027. During 1st Phase i.e., Houselisting & Housing Census, only household and housing information is collected." 14. Can I save my progress and complete the form later? Yes, the portal allows you to save your progress and return to complete the form within a specified period. To access your saved data, ensure that you are logged in with the same mobile number used for previous log in. 15. Is there any assistance in the Self-Enumeration portal while filling the form? Yes, help in the form of Tooltips has been provided in the portal for almost all questions, except those that are self-explanatory. To use a Tooltip, simply hover the mouse pointer over the relevant icon or button, and a short message will appear displaying helpful information to assist you in filling out the questions correctly. 16. How to correctly locate my residence in Self-Enumeration portal? To mark location of your residence correctly, select District name from the drop down menu for the particular State/UT and enter PIN Code (if available). Then provide one or more of the information regarding village, locality, street, or nearby prominent landmark. Then click Search. Once the map loads, zoom in fully until individual houses are visible and place the marker exactly on your house, ensuring the correct side of the road and nearby landmarks match. Be careful in confirming the location as it will be used to assign an Enumerator and an incorrect placement of marker may lead to non- availability of household data in Enumerators mobile app. Be cautious to adjust the marker to the exact location of your house for effective Self-Enumeration. 17. What I can do if I discover some error in response after final submission? Don't worry. When the Enumerator will come to collect your SE ID please tell her/him to edit the SE information. She/he will be able do so before finalising and uploading data. FAQs on Self-Enumeration questions 1. What is Census House? A ‘Census House’ is a Building or part of a Building used or recognized as a separate unit because of having a separate main entrance from the road or common courtyard or staircase etc. 2. My house has different flooring materials in different rooms. There is only one option to select for material of floor. Which one should I select? If different rooms have different flooring, record the material used predominantly. For example: If only the drawing room has mosaic but all other rooms have cement, record 'Cement' If only the bathroom has cement but all other rooms have tiles or mosaic, record 'Mosaic/Floor Tiles' 3. My house has marble flooring. This is not listed in the options under material of floor. What should I select? Select ‘Stone’ 4. The walls of my house are made of many different types of materials. Which material should I choose from the given options? Select the material that is used predominantly in your house. 5. I am staying in a rented house and the wall is plastered and painted - how do I know the real material of the wall? In case of confusion, you may ask the landlord or housing society. You must ensure the type of inner material as it is an important indicator for deciding Kutcha or Pucca houses. If you are not at all able to ascertain, select option 'Any Other' 6. My house walls are made of stone but there are two options in stone - one is Stone packed with mortar and the other one is Stone not packed with mortar. Which one should I select? If stones are loose and not joined with mortar, record Stone not packed with mortar.If stones are joined with cement or lime, record Stone packed with mortar. 7. In my region, we use Bamboo or Ekra matting for walls. But there is no such option for material of Wall. Which option should I select then? Select the option ‘Grass/thatch/bamboo etc.’ for walls made of bamboo or Ekra. 8. My house walls are made of plywood and laminated boards but there are no such option to select for material of wall. Which one should I select? Select the option ‘Wood’ for walls made of plywood and laminated boards. 9. I have two ceilings in my house which are made of different materials. So, for selecting the material of roof, which material I need to select - material of the outer roof or inner ceiling? Select the material out of which the major portion of the roof of the house is made. Do not take inside false ceiling. In a multi-storey building, select the roof material directly above your own floor or flat. If the roof has more than one material, choose the material that covers the maximum area." 10. I live on the 5th floor of a 10 floor Apartment. The roof of my floor is concrete, but roof of the topmost floor is made of asbestos sheets. Then what will be the material of my roof. Is it Concrete or asbestos sheets? In your case, since you stay in 5th floor, so the material of roof of your floor will be considered i.e., you should select ‘Concrete’. 11. The roof of my house covered with Khaprail. But I don’t see any such option under material of the roof. Which one should I select? Khaprail /Kavelu/Khapra are traditional, handmade roofing tiles, also known as "country tiles". You can select the option 'Handmade tiles' in this case. 12. The roof of my house has two materials – mix of tin and tiles. What should I choose for material of the roof – tin or tiles? Select the material that covers largest portion of the roof. If there is a tie, in rare cases, select any one of the materials used in the roof. 13. Are there any benchmark criteria for assessing the condition of house as Good, Livable and Dilapidated? Condition of House can be marked ‘Good’ if it does not require any repair, ‘Livable’ if minor repair is required and ‘Dilapidated’ if major repair is required or it’s condition is ruined and its beyond repair. 14. My house is under repair and it will be completed soon. What option I need to choose from Good, Livable and Dilapidated? If nobody is staying during repairs, then its Vacant and hence condition of house not to be filled. If you are still living there and repairs are minor, then you can select ‘Livable’ from the options. If the house is unsafe/major structural repairs underway, you need to select ‘Dilapidated’ 15. What is the meaning of ‘Normally residing in the Household’ under the question “Total number of persons normally residing in this household”? Everyone who usually lives in your household, even if they’re temporarily away while you submit the self-enumeration. Casual visitors to the household need to be excluded while counting the number of persons who normally reside in your household. 16. My daughter is staying away in other city for studies. Should I count her for total number of persons normally residing in our family? If your daughter does not live with you normally for most of the year, she should not be counted in your household. She will be counted at her normal place of stay." 17. Who is considered the head of the household? The person recognized by the family as the head, who manages household affairs and makes important decisions is considered Head of the household. The head of the household need not necessarily be the eldest male member, but can be of any gender or a younger member normally residing in the household. 18. My caste is not available in the list provided by Census of India. What caste should I select? Each State and Union Territory has its own notified list of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Census of India has compiled it and has given the list of all States/UTs. If your caste or tribe name is not listed in your State/UT list, you can select Other from the options." 19. Why is my Tribe name not in the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe list provided by Census of India? Only those castes or tribes officially notified by Government of India for your State/UT are listed. A community recognized as SC/ST in one State/UT may not be recognized in another. 20. I live in a rented house but have parental house elsewhere. In the ‘Ownership Status of this house’ What should I select? If you live in a rented house but have your own house elsewhere in India, either parental or own purchased, please select 'rented but has own house elsewhere' from the options. 21. What comes under “Any Other” ownership status of House? This includes people living in unauthorized houses, encroached land, slum areas, abandoned buildings, under-construction structures, or accommodation provided free of charge by employers." 22. I am a government servant living in official quarters. So, under the question ‘Ownership Status of this house’, What should I select? Select either 'Rented but has own house elsewhere' or 'Rented and doesn’t own any house' , depending on your case. 23. I share a room with another household. Should I count it as my dwelling room?", No. Only rooms exclusively used by your household should be counted. 24. I converted a store room into a study room. Should I count it? Yes. It should be counted as a dwelling room. 25. Will a couple in a live-in relationship be considered a married couple? If they consider their relationship as a stable union, they should be treated as a married couple. 26. My spouse is away temporarily. Will we still be counted as a couple? Yes, if your spouse is a normal resident of the household. 27. If I keep tap water in bottles, can I consider it as bottled water? No. It is still considered 'Tap Water'. 28. I use water supplied through a tanker. What should I select in the main source of drinking water? Select ‘Other Sources.’ 28. I store rainwater for drinking. What should I select in the main source of drinking water? Select ‘Other Sources.’ 29. How do I know if my tap water is from a treated source? If it is supplied by government or local authority after treatment, select 'Tap water from treated source'. If tap water is filtered at home, select 'Tap water from untreated source'. 30. I use packaged bottled water even though tap water is available. What option should I select? Select 'Packaged/Bottled Water', as it is your main source of drinking water. 31. What comes under packaged/bottled water? Water sold in bottles, jars, cans, or pouches meant for drinking. 32. I have a combined bathroom and latrine. Should I consider it to be a latrine or it to be bathroom? Record Yes for both, as the facility exists 'within the premises'. 33. What is the difference between shared and public latrine? Shared latrine: Used by a few fixed households. Public latrine: Open to everyone, with or without payment. 34. My house has more than one latrine. Which should I record? Record the type used by most family members. 35. What is a single pit latrine? It is a simple pit where human waste collects and decomposes naturally in the ground. 36. What is a twin pit latrine? It has two pits used alternately. When one pit fills, it is closed for a year to allow waste to turn into compost. 37. What does “night soil removed by human or animal” mean? It means waste is manually removed by a person or animal from the latrine. 38. What does “night soil disposed in open drain” mean? It means waste flows directly from the latrine into open drains. 39. What is meant by waste water in question on waste water outlet connected to? It refers to water from kitchen, bathroom, or washing but not toilet waste. 40. If my house has one common closed drainage for latrine and bath water, what should I record? Record 'Closed Drainage'. 41. My waste water goes to a soak pit outside. What should I record in question on waste water outlet connected to? If the pipe is connected to the soak pit, record Closed Drainage. \n If water flows directly without a pipe, record No Drainage. 42. I reuse waste water for plants in my garden. What should I record in question on waste water outlet connected to? If drainage exists, record it. If there’s no drainage, record 'No Drainage'. 43. I have a bathroom but we bathe outside. Should I record “Yes”? Yes, because the facility is available inside the premises. 44. My mobile has FM radio. Should I count it as Radio Available? Yes. Record 'On Mobile/Smartphone'. 45. We listen to music on “Carvaan.” What type of Radio should I record? Select 'any other device'. 46. My mobile works like a TV or computer. Should I record it as TV or computer? No. Only record if you own an actual TV or computer. 47. We watch TV using a Fire Stick. Which option applies? Record 'Any Other Device'. 48. I don’t have a landline but have smartphones and basic phones. What should I record? Record 'Mobile Phone/Smartphone'49. I have three-wheeler auto-rickshaw, how do I record it under Two-wheeler and Four-Wheeler Vehicle question? Three wheelers like motorized cycle van, auto rickshaw, e-rickshaw tempo, etc. are not recorded either as 'Two-Wheeler' and 'Four-Wheeler'.50. I have a tractor, can I record it under Four-Wheeler Vehicle question (Car/Jeep/Van)? Tractor is not recorded in Census. The question checks the availability of Car/Jeep/Van types of Vehicles only.51. I am a Divyang and use a tricycle. Where should I record it? Record it under 'Bicycle'."52. We share one car with another family. Who should record it? The household that keeps and uses the car should record it. 53. I use my car for commercial purposes. Should I record it? Yes. Even if used commercially, it has to be recorded as your household is in possession of the car.54. Our family eats more than one cereal (like rice and wheat). Which one should I record? Record the cereal that is consumed most often or in the largest quantity by your household. Source : SE Census 2027 portal Resources Video Tutorial - Self Enumeration of Census 2027