Jammu, Oct 6: Chief Principal Census Officer (CPCO) and Director Census Operations (DCO), Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh Amit Sharma on Tuesday stated that the population enumeration, as part of Census 2027, was successfully completed in the designated snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT) and entire Ladakh Union Territory from September 1 to 30, 2026.
Amit Sharma, while addressing a press conference here, said that five-day revision round also concluded on October 5 to incorporate omissions, corrections so as to ensure no household was left out in the crucial decennial exercise.
The population enumeration in the designated snow-bound areas, according to him, covered 5,292 Enumeration Blocks (EBs) including 4,597 in Jammu and Kashmir and 695 in Ladakh, involving enumeration across remote and difficult-to-access areas requiring extensive preparation, specialised field arrangements and close coordination with district administrations and Special Charges, CPCO said, while describing the successful completion as a significant milestone in the preparations for Census 2027.
He maintained that the Army and Central Para Military Forces’ personnel were covered under Census 2027, with population enumeration of special charges completed through paper schedules in view of security concerns.
“An important component of the exercise was enumeration in Special Charges including the Army, para military forces and other central forces. Population Enumeration was completed in 125 Special Charges of Defence and CAPFs in the snow-bound areas of J&K and 47 Special Charges in Ladakh. Dedicated arrangements were made for these locations, with paper schedules used for enumeration and operational doubts and queries being resolved in real time,” he said.
CPCO shared that the concerned forces extended full support and supervision, while digitisation of the collected data was currently in progress.
“As a very positive development, we had regular meetings with the Ministry of Defence. The Army, which has a very large presence among the Special Charges, is providing direct data to us through its central database,” he informed.
Amit Sharma reiterated that that the census operation – a decennial exercise, conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs through the office of the Registrar General and the Census Commissioner of India and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) – conducted by the Election Commission of India were entirely two separate exercises and one should not have any doubts between the two.
Giving a detailed account of census operation, he shared that the snow-bound population enumeration was preceded by self-enumeration from August 17 to 31, 2026, followed by field operations from September 1 to 30, 2026.
In Ladakh, the entire Union Territory was covered during the September exercise, with 695 Enumeration Blocks (EBs) completed—367 in Leh and 328 in Kargil. “With population enumeration now completed in UT of Ladakh, it has become the first in the entire country to complete population enumeration for Census 2027,” he said.
In UT of J&K, according to him, the snow-bound operation covered 16 districts and 95 Charges. Doda recorded the highest number of completed EBs at 798, followed by Kishtwar with 602; Ramban with 418; Anantnag with 377 and Baramulla with 359.
Reasi recorded 345 completed EBs and Udhampur 313. Kishtwar district was declared fully snow-bound and hence has become the first district in the entire country to complete population enumeration for Census 2027.
CPCO Amit Sharma appreciated the coordinated efforts of the district administrations, census functionaries, Special Charges, enumerators and supervisors and the cooperation extended by residents. He observed that the completion of the exercise across difficult and remote terrain demonstrated the preparedness of the census machinery and the effectiveness of the field-level arrangements put in place for areas where geography and climatic conditions required a separate enumeration schedule.
The successful field operation was backed by an extensive preparatory exercise. Nodal Officers and District Coordinators were deployed in the districts for field training, preparation and demarcation of Enumeration Blocks, distribution of census kits and ensuring that prescribed manuals reached the Charges, he asserted.
Amit Sharma said that the exercise also received close attention from the senior leadership of the Census Organisation. Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, undertook visit to J&K in August and his maiden visit to Ladakh during September to personally review the implementation and progress of population enumeration in the snow-bound areas. Sunil Kumar, Additional Registrar General, visited J&K during the preparatory phase in August. Both senior officers expressed satisfaction with the progress of preparations, training and field operations, CPCO said.
Amit Sharma also shared that the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India also deputed observers to monitor the population enumeration in snow-bound non-synchronous areas. The observers examined adherence to Census instructions and timelines, functioning of digital applications and devices, operational issues, respondent cooperation and the quality and progress of fieldwork, besides interacting with Principal Census Officers, Charge Officers, supervisors and enumerators.
“Their field visits established the smooth conduct of the exercise and the officers from Delhi appreciated the timely completion of training, EB formation, distribution of materials, fieldwork and publicity activities,” he said.
Amit Sharma especially mentioned that public participation was strengthened through a sustained multi-channel publicity campaign across the snow-bound areas. The outreach included advertisements in major newspapers, publicity vans with LED screens, banners at J&K Bank branches, pamphlet distribution, a seminar-cum-discussion at Bhaderwah campus of the University of Jammu, a quiz competition in Kishtwar, and radio jingles in Hindi, Urdu, Kashmiri and Dogri on Akashwani and Red FM. Hoardings were also installed at district headquarters, bus stands and other public places.
“The campaign contributed to wider awareness, with residents extending enthusiastic cooperation to the enumerators and supervisors,” he said, adding, “With the snow-bound enumeration now concluded, the remaining population enumeration in the non-snow-bound areas of J&K is scheduled for February 2027.”
Amit Sharma said that the Directorate would now focus on the prescribed post-enumeration processes for the completed areas while simultaneously ensuring that preparations for the February exercise in the remaining areas of J&K should remain on schedule.
Ladakh, having completed population enumeration across the entire Union Territory, stands outside the February 2027 enumeration schedule.
CPCO Amit Sharma shared that alongside population enumeration, work on the District Census Handbook (DCHB) was progressing in both Union Territories. Training for DCHB fieldwork was completed across all districts by September 27, 2026, while fieldwork was scheduled for completion by October 30, 2026.
In J&K, the exercise involves 284 Charge Officers, 65 Town Officers and 2,854 Village Officers, while in Ladakh 17 Charge Officers, 2 Town Officers and 56 Village Officers have been engaged.
The snow-bound operation was supported by substantial logistical and financial arrangements, with approximately Rs 49.2 Cr released to the respective districts for IT infrastructure, POL, contingency, honorarium and training allowances, he informed.
Amit Sharma said that the completion of the snow-bound operation represented an important step in the phased conduct of Census 2027, while stressing that the focus would remain on data quality, completeness and adherence to prescribed procedures through the subsequent stages.
The final population figures for Ladakh and the snow-bound areas of J&K will form part of the nationwide Census results, which are scheduled to be released after completion of the overall Census exercise in March–April 2027.
