Srinagar, Nov 29: Amit Sharma, Director Census Operations (DCO) and Director Citizen Registration (DCR) for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, undertook a series of field visits across the Union Territory to review progress of the ongoing Census Pre-Test and to ensure its timely and successful conclusion. The one-month exercise is a key preparatory step for the nationwide Census scheduled for 2026–27.
According to a statement, Sharma first visited Kangan tehsil in Ganderbal district, the designated rural site for the Pre-Test in Kashmir.
He was accompanied by Joint Director Arun Kumar, Assistant Director Vijay Kumar and other officials of the Census team. The delegation held an extensive interaction with SDM Kangan Dr. Nasir Ali, Tehsildar Kangan Dr. Mudasir, enumerators and supervisors who briefed him on the ground-level implementation of the Pre-Test and highlighted challenges that need to be addressed before the full-scale Census.
In the second leg of the tour, Sharma and his team inspected the Pre-Test operations in Ramgarh Municipal Committee of Samba district, selected as the urban site for Jammu division. Deputy Director Manmeet Singh, Assistant Director Jatinder Kumar and other officials accompanied him during the visit. A meeting with Tehsildar Ramgarh Abhimanyu, municipal officials, enumerators and supervisors was held to gather feedback and suggestions crucial for fine-tuning the procedures ahead of the national exercise. Sharma also interacted with local residents during random spot checks to gauge public response to the Pre-Test.
Across both divisions, Sharma stressed that the insights gathered during the Pre-Test — including the identification and resolution of technical glitches — would form the foundation for a seamless Census exercise in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. He noted that the activity is being conducted under the guidance of the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Ministry of Home Affairs.
The upcoming 2026–27 Census will be India’s first fully digital Census, being carried out after nearly 15 years since the 2011 enumeration. Officials said Sharma’s extensive experience in executing major digital initiatives across multiple states and UTs is expected to significantly strengthen preparations for the landmark exercise.
