Central govt to begin census from 2025

India’s long-postponed decadal census exercise and the National Population Register (NPR) update are likely to begin in early 2025, with data expected by 2026, potentially altering the nation's census schedule from a 10-year to a 2025-2035 cycle, official sources told PTI. Since the 2021 census was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this adjustment marks a significant shift in the country’s traditional census timeline, observed every decade since 1951.

While preparations are underway, no formal announcement has been made about incorporating a caste census alongside the general population count. Political parties, including the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal, have been advocating for a caste-based census to better understand the Other Backward Classes (OBC) population.

The planned census will follow a structured questionnaire with 31 key points, similar to prior census exercises. Queries will cover demographic details like caste affiliations, economic conditions, and household amenities, providing insights into living standards across India. For example, citizens will be asked about their primary source of drinking water, household assets like mobile phones, vehicles, and kitchen facilities, as well as key details about family structure and the main cereal consumed.


In addition to these census details, there is renewed discussion on the scheduled 2026 delimitation exercise, which could recalibrate parliamentary seat allocations based on updated census data. However, Article 82 of the Constitution currently restricts adjustments to seat allocations until figures from the post-2026 census are available. Consequently, if the government intends to proceed with delimitation based on 2025 census data, an amendment to Article 82 would be required. This has spurred debates, particularly among leaders from southern states, over the potential impact on parliamentary representation given regional disparities in population growth.

India’s last census, conducted in 2011, recorded a population of 1.21 billion, with a rural majority of 68.84% and an urban population of 31.16%. Uttar Pradesh emerged as the most populous state, while Lakshadweep recorded the lowest population among Union Territories.