India To Begin Census Exercise In September, Say Sources

India may start the census exercise, which was supposed to be conducted in 2021, as early as next month in September as the government looks to update the data to formulate its polices, welfare schemes, sources have said.

The government at the Centre conducts the Census once in a decade. It's a long exercise and takes months to complete, analysed before it's made public. 

Census was earlier scheduled to be conducted in 2021, however, due to the Covid pandemic, the mammoth public exercise was postponed.

As per reports, it will take about 18 months to complete the new survey after it begins next month, Reuters quoted two government sources, who are directly involved in this matter.

At present, most of these data sets - and government schemes based on their results - are based on the last population census released in 2011.

Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation which undertakes exercise are working on its timeline and may release the outcome of the census by March 2026. The census will cover a period of 15 years, officials said.

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