India begins phased census in Ladakh with 40 questions
India's next big census is underway, starting August 17 in Ladakh and a few snowbound regions, with the second phase in the rest of the country set for February 2027.
This edition is more detailed than ever: there are now 40 questions (up from 29 in 2011), aimed at painting a clearer picture of who we are and how we live.
Open caste field worries Jairam Ramesh
This time, the census digs deeper: it asks about parents' religion, exact birthplace, Aadhaar and voter ID details, spouse's name, even where you got your COVID-19 vaccine.
For the first time, everyone will be asked about their caste: SC/ST folks get a drop-down menu; others type it out themselves.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh isn't thrilled about this open-field entry, though; he worries it could lead to messy or unreliable data like last time when millions of variations popped up.