What is Census 2011?

The Census of India 2011 was the 15th national census conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was carried out in two phases -- a Houselisting and Housing Census (April to September 2010) and a Population Enumeration Phase (February 9--28, 2011). The census recorded India's total population at 1,210,854,977 (1.21 billion), making it the second most populous country in the world at the time.

Census 2011 was the first to use biometric data collection and a dedicated National Population Register (NPR) exercise alongside the enumeration. The decadal growth rate was 17.70% (2001--2011), a decline from 21.5% in the previous decade, signalling a demographic transition. The census captured data on population, sex ratio, literacy, urbanization, religion, SC/ST population, housing conditions, and economic activity across 640 districts, 5,924 sub-districts, and 6,40,867 villages.

The 2011 Census remains the most recent completed census of India. The Census 2021 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has been further delayed, making the 2011 data the latest official demographic baseline for policy planning, delimitation, and resource allocation.

Key Features

# Feature Details
1 Total Population 1,210,854,977 (Males: 623.72 million; Females: 586.46 million)
2 Decadal Growth 17.70% (2001--2011), down from 21.5% (1991--2001)
3 Sex Ratio 943 females per 1,000 males (overall); 919 (child sex ratio, 0--6 years)
4 Literacy Rate 74.04% (Male: 82.14%; Female: 65.46%)
5 Urban Population 377 million (31.16%); Rural: 833 million (68.84%)
6 Population Density 382 persons per sq. km
7 Most Populous State Uttar Pradesh (199.8 million)
8 Least Populous State Sikkim (6.1 lakh)

Current Status / Latest Data

  • Census 2021 has been indefinitely postponed; no new date announced as of March 2026.
  • India surpassed China as the world's most populous country in April 2023 (UN estimates ~1.43 billion), but this is based on projections, not a census.
  • The National Population Register (NPR) update, linked to the next census, is also pending.
  • All government schemes, parliamentary delimitation, and resource allocation continue to rely on Census 2011 data.

UPSC Exam Corner

Prelims: Key Facts

  • Census 2011 was the 15th census of India and 7th since Independence
  • Total population: 1.21 billion; Decadal growth: 17.70%
  • Overall sex ratio: 943; Child sex ratio (0-6): 919
  • Literacy rate: 74.04% (highest: Kerala at 93.91%; lowest: Bihar at 63.82%)
  • Most densely populated state: Bihar (1,106/sq. km)
  • Census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948

Mains: Probable Themes

  1. Implications of the delayed Census 2021 on policy planning, delimitation, and welfare targeting
  2. Demographic dividend vs. demographic disaster -- analyzing age structure from Census 2011
  3. Urbanization trends: 31% urban in 2011 -- challenges of unplanned growth and census towns
  4. Gender disparity: declining child sex ratio and its socio-economic implications
  5. Role of census data in evidence-based governance and the need for real-time demographic databases

Sources: Census of India 2011, PIB - Census 2011 Population, Wikipedia - 2011 Census of India