Census to start from 2025, to be completed in 2026; delimitation soon after: Sources

After a delay of four years, the census process will start from next year and will continue to the year after. Census, which was to be held in 2021, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will now start from 2025 and continue till 2026, sources said. 

According to India Today sources, the cycle of census will also now change. The census, which is held every 10 years, will next be held in 2035. Till now the census, held every 10 years, used to be held at the beginning of the decade. 

The delimitation of Lok Sabha seats will start after the census is completed, said the sources. The delimitation process is expected to be complete by 2028. 

Meanwhile, the government is yet to decide on the caste census that has been demanded by many opposition parties. 

Sources said that while religion and class are taken into account in the census, this time around people might also be asked which sect they follow. 

The central deputation of Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, who is currently serving as the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, has been extended till August 2026, hinting at the immediate commencement of the much-delayed census process. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in August, had indicated that the decadal census would be conducted at an appropriate time. He assured that once a decision is made, an announcement would be made regarding the methodology.

The previous census reported a population of over 121 crore in India, marking a growth rate of 17.7 per cent.