India began the world's most ambitious population count on Wednesday, deploying more than three million officials to survey its 1.4 billion residents in the first census conducted in over 15 years.
The massive undertaking will span 36 states and territories, covering more than 7,000 sub-districts, 9,700 towns and nearly 640,000 villages. Officials will spend an entire year collecting data through door-to-door surveys, marking India's 16th census since British colonial rule and the eighth since independence in 1947.
For the first time, the census incorporates digital technology. Enumerators will use mobile applications to collect and upload information, while residents can self-register through a 16-language online portal that generates unique verification IDs.
The exercise unfolds in two distinct phases. The initial House Listing and Housing Census, which launched Wednesday in select regions including Delhi, Goa, and Karnataka, focuses on housing conditions, amenities and household assets. The second phase, scheduled for February 2027, will conduct detailed population enumeration covering demographics, education, migration patterns and fertility rates.
This census breaks with recent tradition by reintroducing caste enumeration — the first such count since 1931 under British rule. The decision carries significant political weight, as caste data determines access to affirmative action programs in government jobs and education for lower-caste populations, who comprise more than two-thirds of India's society.
BBC frames the census as a massive logistical undertaking crucial for policy and representation. The outlet emphasizes India's demographic transition and the administrative complexity of counting 1.4 billion people.