New Delhi: Live-in couples living in a “stable union” in one household will be treated as married couples in Census 2027.In an FAQ answer listed on the Census self-enumeration portal – whether a couple living in a live-in relationship will be treated as a married couple during the self-enumeration or during the enumerator’s home visit – officials said: “If they (the couple) consider their relationship to be a stable union, then they should be treated as a married couple”.Although this is the first time clarification on this issue has been offered publicly, presumably with respondents conducting the enumeration themselves, an official involved in the previous census exercise said unmarried couples living together and declaring themselves “married” to the enumerator had been recorded earlier also.The 33 questions in the Houselisting Conduction phase of the census, spread over a period of 45 days, also include the number of married couples living in a household.The houselisting phase of the census will take place between April 1 and September 30, as notified by each state or union territory separately. The initial 15 days of this 45-day window will be for self-enumeration, followed by a 30-day enumeration period.The census does not require any documentary evidence from the respondents to accompany their answers, which should be to the best of their knowledge and belief. As per the rules enumerators have to record the information declared by the respondent.The self-enumeration (SE), which begins in Delhi’s NDMC area on April 1, allows respondents to fill information about themselves through a dedicated web portal. Self-calculation facility is available in English and 15 Indian languages.Self-enumeration can be done by the head of the household – who manages household affairs and takes important decisions, and not necessarily the eldest male member – or any responsible adult member after completing the OTP-based mobile verification. Using single family access, details of all normally residing members of the household can be provided.A key requirement of SE is to correctly characterize the location of one’s home/residence. For this, respondents have to select the district name from the dropdown menu and enter the PIN code before entering information about their village, locality, road or nearby landmark. Clicking the search option will load a geotagging-based map of the area; The respondent must zoom in until individual houses are visible and place the marker exactly on their house, making sure that the correct side of the street and the landmark match. “Incorrect placement of markers may result in non-availability of household data in the calculators’ app,” the FAQ suggests.After entering the data related to accommodation conditions and facilities, the filled form can be submitted. Forms can be filled in parts over a 15-day SE period, with the option to save progress as a draft. An SE ID will be generated and should be shared with the enumerators when they visit, allowing them to verify and upload the data after linking the building number, census house number and census house use.The SE will take no more than 15-20 minutes, census officials said, and there will be tips to guide the respondent on selecting the correct option from the dropdown menu. Once the SE form is submitted or the SE period ends, changes can be made only by the enumerator.The Self-Enumeration Portal can be accessed only within the geographical boundaries of India. All data will be encrypted and stored in secure government servers.