New Delhi: Authorities have introduced a QR code-based verification mechanism for enumerators and supervisors visiting households for Census 2027.

The move is aimed to make the door-to-door enumeration process, which begins in the national Capital on May 16, more secure and effective amid an alarming rise in cyber fraud cases involving impersonation and fake government officials.

Officials of the Office of the Registrar General and Census told PTI that all enumerators and supervisors deployed for the massive enumeration exercise will carry an appointment letter and an identity card issued by the officer in charge.

Both these documents will have embedded QR codes that residents will be able to scan and verify their authenticity.

“If there is any doubt or suspicion, household members can verify the visiting personnel by checking their appointment letter and identity card. They can also scan the QR code printed on these documents to confirm authenticity,” officials elaborated.

A plethora of nationwide ‘digital arrest’ scams and fake census-related messages circulated online have raised concerns over fraud based on impersonation.

In case a household cannot geo-tag its location with exact precision, it may tag a nearby location instead. In such cases, the enumerator will download the map of the concerned houselisting block (HLB) and all self-enumeration IDs linked to that block for verification during field visits.

When enumerators go out for door-to-door houselisting, they will ask households to provide their self-enumeration IDs and match them with the tagged households in the HLB.

If the self-enumeration ID does not match with any listed house or building in the block, the enumerator will collect the household details afresh.

The layered verification system will make the census process smoother and more reliable, help households navigate the exercise with greater confidence when concerns over digital fraud remain high. The QR-based verification system has been designed to reassure households and build public confidence in the enumeration process, said officials.