Key government department continues to rely on old census data World's largest counting drill depends on teachers and tech Absence of precise data impacts
In two months, India is projected to become the world’s most populous country with over 1.4 billion people. But for at least a year, and possibly longer,
By YP Rajesh and Rupam Jain NEW DELHI (Reuters) - In two months, India is projected to become the world s most populous country with over 1.4 billion people. But for at least a year, and possibly longer, the country won t know how many people it has because it hasn t been able to count them. India s once in a decade census, due in 2021 and delayed due to the pandemic, has now got bogged down by technical and logistical hurdles and there are no signs the mammoth exercise is likely to begin soon. Experts say the delay in updating data like employment, housing, literacy levels, migration patterns and infant mortality, which are captured by the census, affects social and economic planning and policy making in the huge Asian economy. Calling census data indispensable , Rachna Sharma, a fellow at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, said studies like the consumption expenditure survey and the periodic labour force survey are estimations based on information from the census. I