Census data

Story hook

29 October 2024, 11:00 AM IST, the Press Information Bureau puts out a Cabinet decision that Home Minister Amit Shah has been signalling for weeks — Census 2027 will be conducted from 1 October 2026. The decennial Census, originally due in 2021, was repeatedly postponed (Covid-19, the digital CIS census platform, awaiting the delimitation freeze verdict). It will now stretch into 2027. A formal caste-enumeration column has been included for the first time since 1931. The reference date for population is 1 March 2027.

Twenty days later, on 18 November 2024, the NSO (National Statistical Office) releases the PLFS Annual Report July 2023-June 2024. Headline: India's unemployment rate (usual status, 15+ years) = 3.2%. The same fortnight, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare confirms that NFHS-6 fieldwork has begun — the survey machinery that gave India its Total Fertility Rate dip from 2.2 (NFHS-4) to 2.0 (NFHS-5) is back in the field for the 2024-2026 cycle.

Three statistical instruments — Census, NFHS, PLFS — between them produce most numbers UPSC asks. Add PMAY-G survey, ASUSE 2023, HCES 2022-23, MISH, UDISE+, and the Indian statistician's calendar is fuller than the politician's.

Why this matters for UPSC

UPSC Prelims has asked 2-3 data questions per cycle on at least one of these surveys — typically match the survey with the metric it reports, or what is the latest figure for X. Mains GS-I (society) and GS-III (economy) consistently lean on NFHS, PLFS, and HCES numbers as evidence. Interview boards probe "why is the female labour force participation rate so different under NFHS vs PLFS?" — answerable only with framework knowledge.