Over three million government officials across India are set to undertake one of the world’s largest population data-gathering exercises, conducting a nationwide door-to-door census expected to span around a year.
Originally scheduled for 2021, the decennial exercise was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last census was carried out between 2010 and 2011. The data collected is considered critical for governance, shaping public policy, and guiding social welfare programs across the country.
The census will officially begin on April 1, with an initial 15-day window allowing citizens to self-enumerate for the first time by submitting their details online; marking a significant digital shift from the traditional paper-based system.
Following this phase, the exercise will proceed in two stages. The first will focus on household listing, including housing conditions and infrastructure, dw.com reports.
The second will gather detailed information on individuals, covering social and economic characteristics, Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan told reporters.
The exercise will also include the collection of caste data, a highly sensitive and historically entrenched social classification system rooted in India’s long-standing societal structure.
The caste system, which divides communities into hierarchical groups, has remained deeply embedded in social and political life, with ongoing debates about inequality and discrimination.
While caste data was collected during the 2011 census, it was not fully released due to concerns over accuracy. Supporters of a caste-based census argue that it is essential for designing targeted welfare policies and ensuring equitable distribution of resources.
Critics, however, maintain that caste-based classification has no place in a modern, globally competitive nation.
