Census likely from early 2025, no decision on caste yet: Sources
New Delhi: In a move that is set to reshape India’s traditional decadal census cycle, the much-delayed population count and the update of the National Population Register (NPR) are expected to commence in early 2025, with results likely to be declared by 2026, according to official sources. This will establish a new timeline for future censuses, which could now follow a 2025–2035, 2035–2045 cycle, thereby realigning the country’s demographic data gathering for decades to come.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the 2021 census, breaking a near-uninterrupted ten-year interval in place since 1951. With no formal announcement made until now, officials have revealed that the government is preparing to resume the vital data collection process next year. This exercise, however, may not include a caste-based census, as discussions remain ongoing and no decision has been made on this politically charged aspect.
The census data collection will be led by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, which has outlined 31 questions to be posed to households. These questions cover a variety of demographic and socioeconomic factors, such as family composition, gender of the household head, Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, and economic assets including telephone, internet access, and motor vehicles. Additionally, citizens will be asked about the type of fuel used for cooking, main sources of drinking water and lighting, and housing amenities, giving authorities a comprehensive view of living standards across the country.
The central deputation of Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, currently serving as Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, has been extended till August 2026, paving the way for him to lead the team to carry out the much-delayed decadal census.
“The President is pleased to extend the central deputation tenure of Shri Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, IAS (UP:1995), Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Ministry of Home Affairs beyond 06.12.2024 for a period up to 04.08.2026 or until further orders whichever is earlier. The Headquarters of Shri Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, IAS (UP:1995) will be New Delhi,” according to an official notification.
Narayan is a 1995 batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre and is holding the key post under the Ministry of Home Affairs since 2020. Continued from Page 1
Political parties, especially the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have urged the government to include caste in the census to provide an accurate count of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the population. This data, they argue, could play a crucial role in policy formulation and social welfare schemes. However, as of now, the government has not committed to adding caste-based data in this census.
Meanwhile, Congress on Monday sought an all-party meeting to get clarity on whether the next census would include a detailed enumeration of all castes and whether the census will be used for determining the strength of each state in the Lok Sabha.
A critical development tied to the census is the long-anticipated delimitation exercise scheduled for 2026, which could redefine political representation across states based on population.
Leaders in southern states have raised concerns, fearing they may lose Parliamentary seats as they have
successfully controlled population growth, unlike several northern states. A reallocation could potentially diminish their representation in the Lok Sabha, leading to a shift in political power dynamics.
As per Article 82 of the Constitution, “until the relevant figures for the first census taken after the year 2026 have been published,” delimitation based on the new data would be inapplicable without a constitutional amendment.
This constitutional clause, therefore, may delay delimitation based on the 2025 census data unless legislative changes are introduced.
India’s decadal census history began with the first post-Independence census in 1951 and has served as a cornerstone for policy development and planning.
The most recent census, conducted in 2011, reported a population of 121 crore, a sex ratio of 940 females per 1,000 males, and a literacy rate of 74.04 per cent.
Rural residents accounted for 68.84 per cent of the population, with the remaining 31.16 per cent in urban areas. Uttar Pradesh was the most populous state, while Lakshadweep was the least populated Union Territory.
