India to conduct first-ever digital census from April 1 after 14 years

India is set to take a major digital leap as the Union Government has announced the country’s **first-ever digital census**, starting April 1.

This will be the **first census since 2011**, making it a long-awaited national exercise. It will also be the **16th census overall and the 8th since Independence**, but with a major shift—data collection will now go digital.

In simple terms: India’s biggest data exercise is going online.

The digital census is expected to make the process faster, more accurate, and easier to manage compared to traditional paper-based methods. It could also reduce delays in data processing, which has historically taken years.

Why this matters: census data plays a key role in shaping policies, resource allocation, and development planning across the country.

Subtle system angle: while digitisation promises efficiency, it also raises questions about data privacy, digital access gaps, and how inclusive the process will be for those without tech access.

As India moves towards a more digital governance model, this census could redefine how large-scale public data is collected and used.

For a generation growing up online, this is the country’s biggest offline process going digital.