Three million Indian officials to begin counting world s largest population

Over 3 million officials in India are set to spend a year counting every person in the country, which is now the most populous in the world. This huge task was delayed partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The population survey, which happens every ten years, was supposed to start in 2021 but will now begin on April 1. Citizens will have a brief time to register online, as announced by the government on Monday. Following this, there will be two phases of door-to-door surveys. The first phase will gather information about homes and their conditions, while the second phase will focus on the people living there and their economic and social situations, as explained by Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan to reporters. India's population exceeds 1.4 billion, surpassing China in 2023, according to the United Nations Population Fund. Experts do not see the large population as a problem. The Indian government views its young population as a chance to build a skilled workforce, especially as many major economies face issues with aging populations. The census will also gather information about castes, Narayan mentioned. This longstanding social system has influenced Indian life and politics for thousands of years. There are many political parties based on caste, and various state institutions provide quotas for lower castes in jobs and educational opportunities. Supporters argue that this data is essential for those needing government help, while critics believe caste should not be part of a nation aiming to be a leading global power. India last recorded caste data in 2011 after 80 years, but the information was not fully released due to doubts about its accuracy.