Census portal labels Arunachal’s Pasighat as China’s ‘Medog’: How it happened

A mapping error on the government’s self-enumeration portal for Census 2027 triggered concern after a town in Arunachal Pradesh was incorrectly labelled as one in China, inviting criticism and a quick response from authorities.

The error was flagged by a retired Indian Air Force pilot, Mohonto Panging Pao, who said Pasighat in East Siang district was shown as “Medog” while he was trying to complete the self-enumeration process. Medog lies across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), in China.

Mapping error

Former IAF fighter pilot and author Mohonto Panging Pao on Saturday (April 18) said, "During the Self-Enumeration attempt, the maps showed Pasighat, East Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh as Medog!”

Also read: Census 2027 to go digital with self-enumeration; 2-phase rollout from April 1

Pao also shared screenshots and coordinates on the social media platform X, questioning how such an error appeared on an official government portal and calling for urgent correction.

The incident comes at a sensitive time, as India is rolling out its first fully digital Census, which includes a self-enumeration feature

Data inaccuracy

According to him, the discrepancy was noticed during a login attempt, and he was unable to proceed further after seeing the incorrect label. His post quickly gained traction online, with several users raising concerns over data accuracy and the use of external mapping tools on official platforms. While some users described the error as a serious lapse, while others urged the government to ensure that such mistakes do not affect India’s territorial representation.

Also read: India rejects China’s renaming of places in Arunachal, calls it ‘fictitious’ claims

The mapping issue coincides with ongoing tensions over China’s repeated attempts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh. While the government has consistently rejected such claims as baseless and reaffirmed its position on the state as integral part of India.

Mapping services

After the post went viral, the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India said the matter had been taken up with the map service provider and resolved the same day. The official Census India 2027 handle confirmed that the incorrect label had been corrected after it was brought to their notice.

Officials indicated that the portal relies on third-party digital mapping services to auto-tag locations. While these tools are meant to simplify the process, the incident has raised questions about the need for stricter verification and oversight, particularly when sensitive geographical data is involved.

Taking the opportunity, MapmyIndia, an indigenous mapping company, responded that Mappls correctly identifies the location Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh.

“This is exactly why India needs a homegrown mapping solution for critical government infrastructure like Census 2027. Using foreign map APIs for official Indian government portals is a serious sovereignty and data accuracy concern. We urge Census India 2027 to consider integrating MaymyIndia.”

Following Group Captain Pao flagging the error, several people on X shared the post. A person said, "They should have used MapMyIndia instead of Google"

Digital Census exercise

The Census Commission, which functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is overseeing the nationwide exercise. The 2027 Census marks a major shift from earlier practices, as it is the first time the process is being conducted in a digital format. Previous censuses, including the last one in 2011, were entirely paper-based.

Also read: Arunachal Pradesh town loses a sixth of its forest to urban sprawl

The upcoming Census will be conducted in two phases. The first phase, known as the house listing operation, will run from April 1 to September 30, followed by the population enumeration phase. The self-enumeration feature is expected to make the process more efficient and reduce the burden on field staff.