Census – Rashmi Kamal Appointed to Lead West Bengal Enumeration Operations
Census – President Droupadi Murmu has cleared the appointment of senior Indian Administrative Service officer Rashmi Kamal as the Director of Census Operations and Director of Citizen Registration for West Bengal. The appointment places her in charge of coordinating key administrative and statistical responsibilities related to population and housing data collection across the state.
Appointment Details and Tenure
According to an official directive released by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Kamal, who belongs to the 2006 batch of the West Bengal cadre, formally assumed responsibilities on January 14, 2026. Her assignment has been made under the Central Staffing Scheme, where she will serve for three years or until further instructions are issued by the central government. She will operate from Kolkata, which will serve as the administrative headquarters for the assignment.
Administrative Role and Responsibilities
With close to two decades of experience in governance and policy implementation, Kamal is expected to oversee the execution of census-related operations and citizen registration activities throughout West Bengal. The Director of Census Operations plays a crucial role in conducting nationwide population counts and ensuring compliance with legal provisions under the Citizenship Act concerning registration procedures. The office is also responsible for managing data accuracy, field coordination, and monitoring enumeration progress.
Preparations for Census 2027 Underway
The appointment comes as authorities accelerate preparations for the Census of India 2027. The Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier issued a notification announcing that houselisting activities will be conducted between April 1 and September 30 across all states and Union Territories. Each state and Union Territory will determine its specific 30-day window within this period to conduct the survey.
Structure of Houselisting and Housing Census
Government officials recently finalised the questionnaire for the first phase of the upcoming census, which focuses on houselisting and housing data. The Office of the Registrar General of India authorised field officers to collect structured information relating to residential conditions and household characteristics. The questionnaire contains 33 key data points designed to provide insights into infrastructure, housing quality, and demographic composition.
The survey will capture information such as building identification numbers, materials used in construction, residential condition, household size, ownership patterns, and number of living rooms. It will also gather demographic details of the head of the household, including gender and social classification, to assist in policy planning and welfare programme design.
Data Collection on Amenities and Technology Access
Authorities will also collect information on access to essential services and modern communication tools. This includes availability of drinking water, electricity supply, sanitation facilities, bathing areas, kitchen spaces, and cooking fuel connections such as LPG and PNG. Additional data will focus on wastewater disposal systems and access to communication technologies including mobile phones, internet connectivity, computers, televisions, and personal vehicles. Officials have clarified that mobile numbers collected during the process will be used only for census-related communication.
Two-Phase Census Execution Timeline
The nationwide census exercise will be conducted in two stages. The first phase, involving houselisting and housing surveys, is scheduled to take place during 2026. The second phase, which involves detailed population enumeration, is planned for February 2027. March 1, 2027, has been fixed as the official reference date for the population count across most parts of the country.
However, enumeration in snow-affected regions such as Ladakh and certain areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand will take place earlier. For these regions, September 2026 has been designated for data collection, with October 1, 2026, set as the reference date.
Digital Enumeration and Policy Additions
A nationwide pre-test for Census 2027 concluded in November 2025. The trial phase evaluated digital data collection systems and introduced a self-enumeration facility that allowed residents to submit information independently before field surveys began. The central government has also confirmed that caste enumeration will be included in Census 2027 following a policy decision taken in April 2025.