Korean Media: India Launches National Census Including Caste Information, Deploying 3 Million Enumerators!
On March 31, South Korean media outlet News1 published an article stating that India has surpassed China to become the most populous country in the world, and will begin its first digital census next month.
The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Census Bureau recently announced that the 16th National Census will commence on April 1. Originally scheduled for 2021, the census was postponed due to the pandemic.
This survey will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will run from April 1 to September 30, primarily collecting data on housing and infrastructure, with specific timelines varying by region. The second phase is planned to begin in February next year for gathering demographic statistics.
Notably, this census will be conducted digitally, unlike previous paper-based surveys.
At the start of the first phase, Indian citizens can register directly through a dedicated portal, with a 15-day registration window. Following this, over 3 million enumerators will conduct field visits for 30 days. Enumerators will also use the "Census Management and Monitoring System" application to input data on-site and synchronize it with the central server.
The Indian government plans to collect caste information during this survey for use in employment and university admissions quotas, as well as social welfare programs. India conducted its first caste survey in 80 years in 2011, but the results were not released due to concerns over data accuracy.
Dr. Mritunjay Narayan, Chairman of the Indian Census Commission, stated that the methodology for collecting caste information has not yet been finalized: “There are various proposals on how to collect caste information, and we will study these suggestions and choose the most appropriate method.”
Narayan emphasized that, considering Indian citizens may provide false information due to concerns about data leaks, personally identifiable information collected will not be shared with any institution.
According to data from the United Nations Population Fund, India’s population exceeds 1.4 billion and surpassed China in 2023, becoming the world’s most populous country.
Original Source: toutiao.com/article/1861181037106185/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.