Srinagar, Aug 6: Amit Sharma, Chief Principal Census Officer (CPCO) and Director of Census Operations (DCO) for the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, on Thursday announced that the Census has entered its most crucial stage, with Population Enumeration set to begin in snow-bound areas from September 1, following the successful completion of the house-listing phase.

Addressing a press conference, Sharma said the first phase of the Census, comprising house-listing and self-enumeration, concluded successfully on June 30 in both Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
"Our first phase concluded successfully on June 30 in both Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. It was 100 percent successful," he said.
He said the administration is now preparing for the second and most important phase of the Census, which will collect detailed information on every individual living in a household. "The second phase... the most important phase... is Population Enumeration."
Unlike the earlier house-listing exercise, which documented housing conditions and amenities such as electricity, drinking water, internet connectivity and vehicles through 33 questions, the upcoming exercise will focus on the population itself.
"Now the questions will directly relate to the population. Every individual's data will be collected... to get exact and precise information,” he said.
Sharma said the first phase of Population Enumeration will cover around 1,100 snow-bound villages spread across 16 partially snow-bound districts of Jammu & Kashmir, where winter conditions necessitate an advance Census schedule.
"Sixteen districts are partially snow-bound... Around 1,100 villages come under the snow-bound category."
He cited Gurez in Bandipora and Paddar in Kishtwar among the areas where enumeration will be undertaken during September.
Residents of these areas will be able to complete self-enumeration from August 17 to August 31, after which Census enumerators will conduct door-to-door population enumeration between September 1 and September 30.
Sharma said the online self-enumeration portal for snow-bound areas would be available at SE-snowbound.census.gov.in.
"From 17 August to 31 August, the self-enumeration facility will remain available. People from snow-bound areas can complete their population Census through this portal."
Sharma said the exercise is particularly significant for Ladakh, as it will be the first independent Census conducted after the region became a Union Territory in 2019.
"Ladakh's first independent Census is being conducted after it became a Union Territory in 2019. This time it will get its own independent data."
Since the entire Union Territory is classified as snow-bound, Ladakh will complete its Census during the September schedule itself. Ladakh will become the first State or Union Territory in the country to complete its Census."
He said the Census reference date for Ladakh would be 00:00 hours on October 1, 2026, while the remaining areas of Jammu & Kashmir would complete Population Enumeration in February 2027, with the reference date fixed at 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027.
The CPCO said the final questionnaire for Population Enumeration is expected to be notified within the next few days after receiving the necessary approvals from the Union Government.
"The moment it gets notified, we will share the complete list of questions."