Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The self-enumeration facility was available from 1 August 2026 to 15 August 2026 and is now closed. West Bengal is currently conducting the Houselisting and Housing Census phase through door-to-door visits from 16 August 2026 to 14 September 2026, as notified by the Home and Hill Affairs Department through Notification No. 617-Home/O/CEN-02/2025 dated 26 May 2026.
No. Self-enumeration was provided only as an optional convenience. Every household remains eligible for enumeration during the door-to-door survey. If you missed the online facility or faced technical issues such as OTP or CAPTCHA errors, simply cooperate with the enumerator when they visit your residence.
The 11-digit Self-Enumeration ID acts as a reference number for households that completed the online process. When the enumerator visits, you can provide the SE ID, allowing them to retrieve your previously submitted information and verify it instead of collecting all details again from scratch.
First check the SMS messages and email account used during self-enumeration, as the ID was sent automatically after successful submission. If you still cannot locate it, inform the enumerator during the visit. Your household can still be enumerated normally without the SE ID.
A genuine enumerator will carry an official identity card issued for Census work and will normally use an authorised tablet or handheld device. They will ask questions related to your house and household members. If you have any doubt about the person's identity, you may call the Census helpline 1855 for verification before sharing any information.
No. Census officials do not ask for OTPs, banking information, UPI PINs, passwords, or payments of any kind. They also do not require copies of Aadhaar, PAN, passbooks, debit cards, or other financial documents. Any such request should be treated as suspicious.
Do not share any information or make any payment. If you suspect fraud or have already suffered a financial loss, immediately contact the Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 and lodge a complaint through cybercrime.gov.in. Prompt reporting significantly improves the chances of recovery and investigation.
The ongoing phase is the Houselisting and Housing Census. Enumerators collect information about the dwelling unit and basic household characteristics. Questions generally relate to the type of house, number of rooms, ownership status, water source, sanitation facilities, electricity, cooking fuel, drainage, household assets, and details of family members residing in the household.
For most households, the visit takes around 15 to 20 minutes. The duration may vary depending on the size of the household and whether self-enumeration was completed earlier.
No. The Census process does not require document verification during the Houselisting phase. You only need to provide accurate information. If you completed self-enumeration, keeping your SE ID handy may help speed up the verification process.
No. These are completely separate exercises. Census Self-Enumeration is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India through se.census.gov.in. Electoral roll revision is conducted by the Election Commission of India through voters.eci.gov.in. Participating in one process does not automatically update records in the other.
No official extension was issued. The period from 1 August 2026 to 15 August 2026 was already specified in the West Bengal Gazette notification issued in May 2026. Although some reports suggested an extension from 14 August, the gazette notification confirms that 15 August was part of the original schedule.
The Houselisting and Housing Census phase will conclude on 14 September 2026. The next stage, known as Population Enumeration, is scheduled for February 2027. This phase will collect population-related information and will also include caste enumeration as notified by the Government of India.
Yes. The Government has indicated that a self-enumeration facility will again be provided before the Population Enumeration phase. The exact dates for West Bengal will be announced separately closer to February 2027.
Enumerators generally make repeat visits to households that could not be contacted. If no follow-up visit occurs and the enumeration period is nearing completion, contact the Census helpline at 1855 for assistance.
Yes. If you notice any error, inform the enumerator during verification or contact the Census helpline. Corrections can be addressed during the field verification process wherever applicable.
No. Every stage of the Census, including self-enumeration and door-to-door enumeration, is completely free. No government official is authorised to collect any fee from citizens for Census-related activities.
The Census is being conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948 and the Census Rules, 1990. The national schedule was notified through S.O. 99(E) dated 7 January 2026, while West Bengal notified its implementation dates through Notification No. 617-Home/O/CEN-02/2025 dated 26 May 2026, published in the Kolkata Gazette Extraordinary.
You can contact the official Census Helpline by dialling 1855. For updates, notifications, and self-enumeration related information, citizens may also visit censusindia.gov.in and se.census.gov.in.
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