India Likely to Begin Population Census in September, Completion Expected by 2026

New Delhi: India is expected to initiate its long-delayed population census in September, according to two government sources cited by Reuters. The decennial census, originally scheduled for 2021, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new survey, once begun, is projected to take around 18 months to complete, the sources said.

The census delay has drawn criticism from both government and independent economists, who argue that it has compromised the quality of various statistical surveys, including data on the economy, inflation and employment. Currently, most government data and schemes are based on the 2011 census.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, responsible for conducting the census, alongside the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has outlined a timeline with the goal of releasing the results by March 2026. This would span a period of 15 years, as reported by the officials. However, the final approval from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office is still pending.

A UN report last year highlighted that India surpassed China as the world’s most populous country.

In addition to the census, the government is working on updating economic data, including retail inflation, to better reflect current consumption patterns.