India’s government launched the first phase of a census it said is the world’s largest, covering roughly 1.4 billion people [1].

The exercise matters because updated population figures will guide welfare programmes and the delimitation of electoral boundaries, both of which affect millions of citizens [4].

More than three million officials are being mobilised across the country to collect data, making this operation the most extensive peacetime effort ever undertaken by India [1]—the scale reflects the nation’s ambition to modernise its statistical infrastructure. The census is being rolled out in stages, with field teams equipped with tablets and biometric devices to record each resident’s details.

The previous national count in 2011 recorded 1.21 billion people [1]. A five‑year delay pushed the launch from the originally scheduled 2021 date, citing the COVID‑19 pandemic and logistical challenges [2]. The postponement has heightened scrutiny over how the new figures will be used to redraw parliamentary constituencies.

For the first time, India will conduct a fully digital census, eliminating paper forms and allowing real‑time data validation [3]. Officials said the electronic system will reduce errors, speed up processing, and improve data security, though it also raises concerns about connectivity in remote regions.

Another historic change is the inclusion of caste enumeration, a data point not collected since the 1931 census [2]. Policymakers said caste data will help target affirmative‑action schemes more precisely, while critics said it could deepen social divisions.

**What this means** The 2024 census will provide the most current demographic snapshot of a nation that houses a fifth of the world’s population. Accurate data will shape resource allocation, social welfare planning, and the political map for the next decade, while the digital and caste‑enumeration components signal a shift toward more granular, technology‑driven governance.

“More than three million officials are being mobilised across the country to collect data.”

The census will deliver the freshest demographic baseline for India, influencing everything from welfare distribution to the drawing of electoral constituencies, and its digital and caste‑enumeration features mark a new era of data‑driven policy making.