New Delhi: The Centre is likely to start a long-delayed population census in September, Reuters reported, citing two sources.

The decennial census, originally scheduled for completion in 2021, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new survey is anticipated to take approximately 18 months to finish once it begins next month.

Both government and external economists have criticized the delay, noting its impact on the quality of various statistical surveys, including economic data, inflation, and job estimates.

Currently, most of these data sets—and the government schemes reliant on their results—are based on the last population census, which was released in 2011.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, which oversees the census, along with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has established a timeline aiming to release the results by March 2026.

This schedule will cover a 15-year period, according to the officials.

One of the officials told Reuters that the final approval to commence the census process from PM Modi's office is still pending.

A United Nations report released last year indicated that India surpassed China to become the world's most populous country.

Additionally, the government is working to update its economic data, including retail inflation, by reweighting various categories such as food to better reflect changes in consumption patterns.