Census of India
The decennial census of India has been conducted 16 times, as of 2021. While it has been undertaken every 10 years, beginning in 1872 under Viceroy Lord Mayo, the first complete census was taken in 1881. Post 1949, it has been conducted by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. All the censuses since 1951 were conducted under the 1948 Census of India Act, which predates the Constitution of India. The 1948 Census of India Act does not bind the Union Government to conduct the census on a particular date or to release its data in a notified period. The last  census was held in 2011, whilst the next was to be held in 2021 before it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India. The next census will be held after 2024 general election. Mauryan Empire

Historically, there has been a long time between collection of data and dissemination of data. The taking of census was a regular process in the Mauryan administration. The village officials (Gramika) and municipal officials (Nagarika) were responsible for enumerating different classes of people in the Mauryan empire such as traders, agriculturists, smiths, potters, carpenters etc., and also cattle, mostly for taxation purposes. These vocations consolidated as castes, a feature of Indian society that continues to influence the Indian politics till today. British Rule

Republic of India 
List of censuses conducted in India after independence:
1951 census of India
1961 census of India
1971 census of India 
1981 census of India
1991 census of India
2001 census of India
2011 census of India
2021 census of India

See also
Demographics of India
List of states and union territories of India by population
List of cities in India by population
List of towns in India by population
List of million-plus urban agglomerations in India
List of states in India by past population
List of states and union territories of India by sex ratio
List of Indian states and union territories by literacy rate
Timeline of Indian history

References 
 Stamps issued by India Post

Works cited

External links 
 

Demographics of India