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Census: What Are the Concerns Around India's First Digital Census?

Census: Concerns are growing over India's digital census, with only half of the 1.4 billion population having smartphone access, risking exclusion of millions. Additionally, past data breaches raise serious privacy alarms.

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Census in India

Census in India | Indian citizens will have the choice of filling in the census form through a special mobile app developed in 16 different Indian languages. | Abhijit00 | Credits https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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Census data needs to be verifiable and accurate so it can be used effectively in formulating welfare policies.

India has finally got around to organising its 2021 census –  three years after it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first  Census of India was conducted in 1881 and has been conducted every decade since then. The last census was held in 2011.
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It is one of the largest data collection exercises in the world. This will be the first digital census of India. Citizens will have the choice of self-enumerating by filling the census form digitally.

They are expected to do it through a special mobile app developed by the Office of the Registrar General of India in 16 different Indian languages. This  will eliminate the need for enumerators, saving the government time and money.

However, questions are being raised about switching to the digital option, especially as only half of the 1.4 billion Indian population has access to smartphones.

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