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Updated 02 April 2026 - India begins its decennial population count today, the first since 2011, with over a billion citizens set to answer 33 questions on housing, caste, and livelihoods.
Nationwide headcount begins
India has launched its 16th national census, the first in over 15 years, with more than three million officials expected to spend a year recording details of every resident. The exercise, described as the world's most ambitious, covers 1.4 billion people across 36 states and union territories, 7,000 sub-districts, 9,700 towns, and nearly 640,000 villages.
Digital-first approach
For the first time, the census will be conducted digitally. Enumerators-primarily schoolteachers, government employees, and local officials-will use mobile apps to collect and upload data. Residents can also self-enumerate via a 16-language online portal, which generates a unique ID for verification by census workers.
Two-phase rollout
The census will unfold in two stages. The first phase, the House Listing and Housing Census, will gather data on housing conditions, amenities, and household assets. The second phase, population enumeration, is scheduled for February 2027 and will record demographics, education, migration, fertility, and caste-a politically sensitive addition.
Fieldwork begins this month in select regions, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Mizoram, and Odisha. Self-enumeration runs from 1 to 15 April, followed by door-to-door surveys from 16 April to 15 May.
Evolving scope of the census
India's census has expanded significantly since its colonial-era origins. The first attempt in 1872 included just 17 questions, focusing on basic details like age, religion, and occupation. By 1881, the census had stabilized around identity markers such as gender, marital status, caste, and language.
Post-independence, the scope widened further. The 1951 and 1961 censuses incorporated nationality, displacement due to Partition, land ownership, and expanded work categories. From the 1970s onward, the focus shifted to socio-economic factors, including migration histories, fertility patterns, and employment classifications.
The 2026 census introduces a notable social shift: couples in live-in relationships can be recorded as married if they consider their union stable, reflecting changing societal norms.
Concerns and challenges
While the census is a critical tool for policy and welfare delivery, its expanding scope has raised concerns. Some analysts link recent efforts to compile databases like the National Population Register (NPR) and revise electoral rolls to heightened public anxiety about citizenship and inclusion.
"Although the census has nothing to do with citizenship, this can create anxiety, prompting some families to over-report or list absent migrant members to avoid perceived exclusion," says KS James, an Indian demographer at Princeton University.
KS James, Princeton University
Policy implications
The absence of a recent population baseline has forced India to rely on sample surveys for policy decisions, from consumption expenditure to labour force data. Economists warn that outdated classifications-such as rural, urban, or peri-urban-can distort welfare delivery.
"This census is crucial-it is the definitive snapshot of India, capturing everything from caste and religion to jobs, education, and amenities," says Ashwini Deshpande of Ashoka University. "Without current data, millions of urban migrants in informal jobs and housing remain poorly captured in policy design."
Ashwini Deshpande, Ashoka University
The 2026 census aims to address these gaps, providing a comprehensive update to guide public spending, political representation, and social welfare programs.
