New Delhi: The Indian government has clarified that live-in couples who consider their relationship a stable union should be treated as married for the purposes of the Census, according to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the self-enumeration portal.

The portal, launched for citizens opting to self-enumerate during the 16th Census, will be open for both phases: Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO) and Population Enumeration. The FAQs aim to guide the public in answering the census questions accurately.

The government has notified 33 questions that will be asked during the first phase of the Census, which begins on 1 April 2026. These include queries about the materials used for house flooring, walls and roofs, the number of married couples residing in the household, the sex of the head of household, access to basic amenities, types of cereals consumed, and ownership of vehicles.

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Enumeration will start with the building number (municipal, local authority or census number) and the census house number, followed by details on the house’s condition, its use, and the number of residents.

Officials will also collect information about the head of the household, including their name, sex, community classification, whether Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe or other and ownership status of the property.

The self-enumeration portal is designed to make participation easier and provide guidance on answering questions such as whether a live-in couple should be counted as married, helping ensure accuracy in the Census data.