India has launched the world's largest census, marking its first population count in over 15 years.
The two-phase exercise will see three million officials spend a year counting every person in the country. With over 1.4 billion people, India is now the world's most populous nation. The census includes 33 questions covering housing, amenities, demographics, and caste.
This is the first digitally conducted census, using mobile apps and a self-enumeration portal in 16 languages. The initial rollout began April 1st in select regions.
The first phase will gather housing data. The second phase, scheduled for February 2027, will collect detailed demographic, education, migration, and fertility information.
Economists emphasize the census is essential to update India's basic map-what counts as rural or urban-which underpins the nation's vast welfare and public spending system. Without current data, millions remain poorly captured in policy design.