The Centre is finally set to conduct the census exercise with caste enumeration, using 1 October, 2026 as the reference date in cold regions with snowfall, and 1 March, 2027 in the rest of the country. This makes it a two-phase process, along with the enumeration of castes.
The last census was conducted in 2011, which was also carried out in two phases. Although the 2021 census was proposed, it was postponed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic across the country.
The census is an important exercise, as many programmes and policies are based on both caste and population data. It must be undertaken with full earnestness. As one of the largest and longest processes of government documentation, this long-awaited census will not only reveal the country’s population but also help the government understand where to focus its resources for meaningful allocation, social intervention, and fair political representation.