The digital Census pre-test has begun in Bulandshahr district, Uttar Pradesh, as part of preparations for India's 2027 population count. Teachers, mostly women, including Suman from Aniwas village, are using smartphones to geotag homes and collect detailed data from households. Suman records latitude and longitude of each home, then asks 35 questions about housing and living standards using mobile apps. This digital pilot runs from November 10 to 30 and includes self-enumeration options. The Census 2027 will be India's first since 2011 and is critical for future electoral boundary redraws. The complete enumeration is scheduled between April 1, 2026, and February 28, 2027. Officials say the digital process will improve data accuracy and monitoring. Mritunjay Kumar, Registrar-General & Census Commissioner, called this pre-test a “full dress rehearsal” involving government staff nationwide. A key challenge remains how to count caste data correctly, a sensitive and complex issue not yet finalized. Bulandshahr officials chose women as enumerators because they are usually at home during the day and can engage more comfortably with families. Enumerators work from early morning until evening, covering homes systematically. Each official receives an honorarium of ₹10,000 for the pre-test work. The government also ensures data entered digitally is valid by linking geocoordinates with questionnaires so false entries are prevented. Community familiarity helps enumerators build trust. The pre-test will help shape training, logistics, and survey questions ahead of the full Census. Local residents showed mixed awareness of the exercise. Some, like Shalini Sharma, understood its importance after explanation. Others confused it with voter registration. With around 24 lakh enumeration blocks planned, this digital overhaul marks a new step in India’s Census history.