Nation Prepares for Landmark Digital Census with Caste Enumeration

The Indian government is set to conduct a census along with caste enumeration, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The operation, supervised by the Registrar General of India, will be the first digital census allowing self-enumeration. Budget constraints are minimal, with an expected cost exceeding Rs 13,000 crore.

The Indian government is moving forward with a long-awaited decadal census, set to include a detailed caste enumeration for the first time. This decision, announced on Wednesday, aims to overcome the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The upcoming census, which has been postponed for five years, will take its cue from the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India, an office aligned with the Ministry of Home Affairs. Despite budget allocations signaling possible delays, insiders assure that financial barriers can be addressed promptly.

The 2021 census has been designed as India's first digital enumeration, emphasizing self-enumeration via a newly developed portal. Incorporating various socio-economic queries, the census promises to capture a more comprehensive demographic profile of the nation, surpassing previous exercises in scope and technology.

(With inputs from agencies.)