On April 1, India launched a nationwide population census. This is the first population census in 15 years, and it will collect the highly controversial caste information, which has been criticized by public opinion as potentially exacerbating social tensions.
The Indian government has decided to survey the vast majority of the population within about a year, deploying around 3 million census enumerators who will collect information and data through door-to-door visits and electronic means.
This census will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will focus on basic information such as housing, while the second phase will include personal information such as caste and economic status.
India last conducted a population census in 2011. The census originally scheduled for 2021 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are a large number of caste groups across India, but data on the size of each caste population is limited or long outdated. The last comprehensive caste census in India was conducted in 1931 during British colonial rule. Although some caste information has been collected in population censuses since India's independence, the results have not been published out of concern for intensifying social tensions.