India will begin its once-in-a-decade population census on April 1, mobilizing more than 3 million officials to count every person in the world’s largest nation. The survey, delayed since 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will run for a year and combine online registration with two phases of door-to-door data collection.
Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan said the first phase will record housing conditions, while the second will gather details about inhabitants, including economic and social indicators. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, India overtook China in 2023, according to the United Nations Population Fund.
Economists view India’s vast and youthful population as a potential advantage, offering a large workforce at a time when many major economies face aging demographics. The census will also collect caste data, a sensitive issue in Indian politics and society. Supporters argue such information helps target government assistance, while critics say caste divisions undermine India’s global ambitions.
India last recorded caste data in 2011 after an 80-year gap, but the findings were not fully released due to concerns about accuracy. Narayan said this census will be digitized for the first time, with several datasets expected to be published soon after collection. The process is scheduled to conclude next March.
