New Delhi, India

The Indian government has started the exercise to conduct the long-delayed population census and an announcement regarding the matter is expected soon, according to a report in TOI.

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The centre is also believed to be keeping an 'open mind' to the idea of adding a caste column to the census, owing to the demand of the opposition parties. 

The once-in-a-decade census was to be completed in 2021 but got delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last time the census data was published was in 2011.  

"Work on holding the census is already on and a decision in this regard is likely soon," a senior government functionary was quoted as saying by the publication. 

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"This (caste count) is yet to be decided," the official added. 

The last time a census featured a caste column was way back in 1931. However, the government stopped the exercise after independence. 

Watch | Bihar Caste Survey: What are the findings and political reactions?

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Caste census 

Apart from opposition leaders with Indian National Congress (INC) leader Rahul Gandhi being the most vocal voice, some allies of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also demanded caste census.

At the first meeting of the parliamentary panel on the welfare of OBCs last month, BJP ally Janata Dal (United) raised the demand for a caste census. JDU leader and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had ordered a caste-based survey and its findings were made public last year.

Notably, most MPs in the panel, with maximum members from BJP, remained 'silent' and 'did not oppose the demand'.

Also read | NDA govt to implement ‘One Nation, One Election’ in India during current term: Report

This census exercise will be the first digital one, giving citizens the opportunity to self-enumerate. National Population Register (NPR) has been made compulsory for citizens who want to exercise the right to fill out the census form on their own rather than through government enumerators.

The survey will take around 18 months to complete once it starts. According to reports, the Ministry of Home Affairs, which takes the lead in conducting the census, and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation have drawn up a timeline and are aiming to release results by March 2026, covering a period of 15 years.

The critics have argued that the delay in the census impacts the quality of many other statistical surveys, including economic data, inflation, and job estimates.

(With inputs from agencies)