18 Chait, Kathmandu. India, the world’s most populous country, from Wednesday ‘Great Census’ has started. This process, which was supposed to be in 2021, started late in 2026 due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

More than 3 million government employees and enumerators have been mobilized across India for the next one-year census. This census is expected to change the map of India’s welfare schemes and political representation.

In the first phase, household details, living conditions and physical infrastructure data will be collected for the next one month. Adopting modern technology, this time residents can fill details online through smartphone app.

The most talked about and controversial aspect of this year’s census is the collection of ‘caste details’. In the second phase, which will start from next September, a detailed survey will be conducted on the social, economic and caste conditions.

For the first time since 1931, caste data has been collected in such a detailed manner in India. Previous governments have been preventing it, arguing that caste enumeration could increase social tension.

However, the supporters claim that this data is mandatory to deliver government facilities to the target group and for the correct implementation of reservation.

Critics have commented that caste division will have a negative impact on a country that is in the race to become a world power.

The results of the census may change the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies of India. According to the law of 2023, one-third of the seats in the legislature are reserved for women, so it seems that with the increase in the number of seats, the number of women representatives will also increase significantly.

In the last census of 2011, the population of India was 1.21 billion. Currently, it is estimated that it has exceeded 1 billion 40 million. This has made India the world’s most populous nation, surpassing China.