1. DATA COLLECTION WITH INTERNET
DEPARTMENT OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS
SRI LANKA

2. Citizens’ devices which could send data through Internet and types of applications
Desktop / Laptop / Tablet Web Application
Tablet / Smart Phone Web/Mobile App

3. Households which has ability to access internet 576,365
Strength of Citizens, 2012
Households which has ability to
access internet ,365
Total Number of households 5,264,282
10.94%
Source:
Census of Population and Housing 2012
Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka

4. Overall Computer Literacy 28.3%
Strength of Citizens, 2017
One out of every five households owns either a Desktop or a Laptop computer
Overall Computer Literacy %
Household population use internet %
Household population use 11.0%
Source:
Computer Literacy Statistics – 2017 (First six months)
Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka ISSN

5. Fixed Broadband Subscriptions 1,220,504*
Statistical Overview of the Telecommunication Sector as at the end of December 2017
Fixed Broadband Subscriptions 1,220,504*
Mobile Broadband Subscriptions 4,682,300*
Source:
Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka * - Provisional
Mid Year population = million

6. Readiness of Citizens:
Suggested question for Census 2021 listing:
If any of the members in the unit willing to provide information through internet and he/she have required facilities
1 – Yes 2 – No

7. eCensus
Past experience

8. Objectives:
Collecting Census information from hard to reach  population who are living in luxury apartments in Colombo and its suburbs
To test the method of Internet data collection that can be used in future Censuses/ Surveys

9. Selection:
Houses that will take part in eCensus were  selected prior to the Census field enumeration
Their consent was obtained to complete Census  information online

10. Support:
Simple User Interface with easy navigation, Edit and Delete facilities. It provided free flow to ordinary users without considering the Navigational links
User’s Manual (Printed and Electronic)
Security Documentation (How to use secure channel)
Instructions per question by a single click
Call Centre with trained staff to motivate, assist and troubleshoot

11. Data validation:
Client side and server side data validation
Skips
Online summaries with selected variables
More than one question per screen

12. Software development:
100% usage of Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS)
It was not used any commercial or free software development Framework
DCS developed its own framework from the ground which aims to adapt any Census or Survey.
System for data collection was developed on top of the developed framework

13. Security:
Used OpenSSL software library for secure communications ↓
The system was security assesed by Sir Lanka CERT (National Centre for Cyber Security)
Hosting done with a leading Data Centre solution provider who has better security devices and to reduce equipment cost as well as DCS to focus on core business.

14. Conclusion:
Better tool for collecting Census information from hard to reach population 
Need of proper planning and capacity building
Need of reliable internet facilities and have a culture of submitting data through Internet without any assistance of the government officer.