The Census, which asks questions about things like access to technology and food consumption, was postponed due to COVID-19. It was originally supposed to happen from April 1 to September 30, 2020, but there is still no new schedule. The government extended the deadline for freezing administrative boundaries to June 30, and the Census can only happen three months after that. Additionally, the employees who will conduct the Census need to be trained, which takes two to three months. Because of all these delays, it’s unlikely that the Census will happen before the next Lok Sabha elections in April-May 2024.
The NPR is a way for citizens to fill out their Census form themselves, instead of having a government employee do it for them. The Census will also be digital for the first time. However, the NPR is mandatory for citizens who want to use this option. There is a self-enumeration portal that will be launched for this purpose.
