Union Home Minister launches Pragati (female) and “Vikas” (male) mascots for Census-2027

Union Home Minister Amit Shah soft-launched four digital tools and formally unveiled the mascots “Pragati” (female) and “Vikas” (male) for the upcoming Census 2027 in New Delhi.

The advanced digital platforms for the census have been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) to facilitate enumeration operations across the country.

Mascots for Census 2027

The mascots Pragati (female enumerator) and Vikas (male enumerator) were introduced as friendly and relatable representatives of the census exercise.

• They symbolize equal participation of women and men in nation-building.
• They will help spread information, objectives, and key messages related to the census in a citizen-friendly manner across society.
• The mascots also reflect India’s broader goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Key Features of Census 2027

• The Central Government formally initiated the process through a Gazette Notification on 16 June 2025.
• It will be the world’s largest census exercise.
• First digital census in India with the option of self-enumeration for citizens.

Two Phases of the Census

1. Phase 1 – House Listing Operation
   • Collection of data on housing conditions and household amenities.
2. Phase 2 – Population Enumeration
   • Recording demographic, social, and economic details of every individual.

Important Dates

• Population Enumeration: February 2027 across India.
• Reference Date:
  • 00:00 hours, 1 March 2027 for all states and union territories.
  • 00:00 hours, 1 October 2026 for Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Source: PIB