NEW DELHI — Authorities today issued a critical clarification following widespread public concern after a nationwide emergency alert coincided with the launch of the new digital census portal. As a senior journalist covering national affairs, I have compiled the verified facts to address the confusion.
The Census 2027 Digital Initiative
- Official Website: The portal se.census.gov.in is the
legitimate, official platform for Census 2027.
- Self-Enumeration: For the first time in Indian history,
citizens can independently fill out household details online through this Self-Enumeration
(SE) facility.
- Mandatory ID: Once you complete the form, the portal
generates a unique SE ID. This must be kept safe and shown to the
official enumerator when they visit your home—scheduled between May 16
and June 14, 2026, for verification.
- Security Standards: The government has confirmed that all
data is encrypted and the portal follows strict ISO/IEC 27001:2022
cybersecurity standards.
The Emergency Alert System Test
- The Alarm: The loud alarm and popup message seen in
the screenshot attached were part of a scheduled nationwide test of the Cell
Broadcast Alert System.
- Timing:
This test was conducted today, May 2, 2026, by the National
Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Department of
Telecommunications (DoT).
- Purpose:
This indigenous technology is designed to send real-time warnings for
disasters like earthquakes or floods. It broadcasts to all phones in a
specific area simultaneously via cell towers.
- Action Required: As clearly stated in the message, this
was a test alert only, and no action is required from the public. Just
click “OK”
Journalist's Note on Safety
The overlap between your login and the alarm
was a pure coincidence of timing. To avoid real phishing risks:
- Always ensure the URL ends in .gov.in.
- Official Census SMS will carry the sender
keyword RGICEN.
- The government will never ask for
documents to be uploaded or payment for census registration.
