India Set To Conduct Census In 2025 After Delay, Caste Count Debated; Delimitation And Women’s Bill Await Population Data

Sources revealed on Monday that the government is set to launch the next national census in 2025, marking a four-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This official population survey, typically conducted every decade, was initially scheduled for 2021. 

The 2025 census is expected to run until 2026, after which the government will proceed with the delimitation process for redrawing constituency boundaries.

Once the census is completed, the government plans to implement the Women’s Reservation Bill, sources stated. 

Additionally, consultations are underway regarding the inclusion of caste enumeration in the census, an issue that has garnered significant attention in recent times.

Various parties, including Congress, and some NDA allies like JD(U), Lok Janshakti Party, and Apna Dal, have pushed for a caste-based census. Recently, the BJP’s ideological affiliate, the RSS, also expressed support for a caste census, stating that an accurate count is essential for policy planning.

There is, however, no clarity on how the caste enumeration might be integrated, according to government sources. 

“There are suggestions such as adding the OBC category to the existing counts of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and religion, and including surveys of sub-sects within the general and SCs and ST categories” an pfficial reported to the Indian Express.

Sources in the Government also added that they are aware of the concern, and any measure that could “damage” southern states, which have “made remarkable progress in population control and other social developments”, would be avoided.

The tenure of Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, has been extended until August 2026 to oversee this upcoming census. This extension aims to ensure continuity throughout the process.

The issue of delimitation has also resurfaced. Under the 84th Amendment in 2002, the NDA government, led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, delayed delimitation until after the publication of census figures post-2026. 

However, recent reports suggest that the government may begin delimitation by 2027 and complete it within a year, allowing the redrawn constituencies to be in effect for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, alongside the rollout of women’s reservations.

The renewed focus on the census has spurred debate on a nationwide caste census, with leaders from Congress, including Jairam Ramesh, urging the government to hold an all-party meeting to clarify positions on caste enumeration and delimitation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah previously indicated that the next decadal census would be conducted digitally via a mobile application.

In August, he said, "It will be carried out at an appropriate time. Once decided, I will announce how it will be done". 

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