India begins world’s largest population census

More than three million Indian officials have begun the yearlong task of counting the country’s population.More than three million officials in India have begun the world’s largest national population count, in a yearlong process that could reshape welfare programmes and political representation across the country.The census, which was delayed in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, began on Wednesday and will end by March 31 next year.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3India’s language war: Why is Hindi sparking a north-south divide?list 2 of 3As hate spirals in India, Hindu extremists turn to Christian targetslist 3 of 3Protest in India over cooking gas crisisend of listCensus workers will first spend about a month collecting information from homes and will document housing stock and living conditions.Information will be collected through in-person surveys and online, allowing residents to use a smartphone application.A second phase of the counting will be conducted from September, during which more detailed information, such as people’s social and economic characteristics, including religion and caste, will be surveyed.Caste controversyCaste is an ancient system of social hierarchy in India and is influential in defining social standing and deciding who gets access to resources, education and economic opportunity.There are hundreds of caste groups based on occupation and economic status across India, particularly among Hindus, but the country has limited or outdated data on how many people belong to them.Successive governments have resisted conducting a full caste count, arguing it could heighten social tensions and trigger unrest.Population data collected through the census underpins the distribution of government welfare programmes and a wide range of public policies.It could also prompt a redrawing of India’s political map, as seats in the lower house of parliament and state legislatures may be increased to reflect population growth.