India is launching a census on Wednesday, marking its first such exercise in over 15 years, according to major media reports. The last census was conducted in 2011, and the 2021 census was delayed by the pandemic. 4 billion people, as reported by major media.
India overtook China in population in 2023 according to the United Nations Population Fund, major media notes. The census will include caste data, a politically sensitive issue, major media reports. Officials will ask questions about economic conditions and caste affiliation, according to official sources.
For the first time, the census will be conducted digitally, major media states. The digital approach includes self-enumeration available via a 16-language portal, major media says. Self-enumeration will run from 1 to 15 April in initial regions, according to major media.
There will be two phases of physical door-to-door surveys, major media reports. The first phase is the House Listing and Housing Census, and a house listing and housing survey will follow from 16 April to 15 May in initial regions, major media indicates. The second phase is population enumeration scheduled for February 2027, major media adds.
The census will involve more than three million officials. It will span 36 states and federally-administered territories, over 7,000 sub-districts, over 9,700 towns and nearly 640,000 villages, major media reports. Fieldwork will be carried out by enumerators and supervisors, typically schoolteachers, government staff and local officials, according to major media.
The initial rollout will begin in selected regions including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Mizoram and Odisha, major media states. Historically, India's first census attempt in 1872 contained 17 questions, major media notes. The census is seen as crucial for policy, welfare delivery and political representation, major media reports.
India has a median age of 28 and nearly 70% of its population is of working age, according to major media. The census questionnaire has 33 questions, major media says. What specific economic conditions will be asked about in the census remains unclear, and how the caste data will be used for policy and political representation is not detailed.
The exact 33 questions being asked in the census have not been disclosed, and how the digital data collection will ensure privacy and accuracy is unspecified. Administrative or electoral scheduling that caused further delays beyond the pandemic has not been confirmed.