India’s last census was conducted in 2011, with the 2021 edition postponed due to the pandemic. Unlike elections , which can run safely in phases over weeks, a census must capture a single moment in time across the entire country. 

Achieving that with smartphones, apps, and cloud systems will test the limits of India’s administrative and technological reach.

A 20-day field trial began on November 10 in selected districts of Karnataka. Enumerators are using a mobile app to collect household data, while residents can also self-enumerate via a dedicated web portal. 

The Home Ministry says the exercise will determine how well the digital system performs across locations ranging from dense cities to remote villages with patchy mobile networks.

According to the Home Ministry, the digital census will run in two stages: houselisting and mapping from April to September 2026, followed by population enumeration in February to March 2027, with special schedules for snow-bound Himalayan areas. 

Enumerators will use their own smartphones, and data will be uploaded in real time to a central Census Management and Monitoring System.

India’s move puts it alongside countries such as the United States , the United Kingdom, Ghana and Kenya, all of which have adopted digital or hybrid census models. But none have attempted it at India’s scale. 

The system will support English, Hindi and more than 16 regional languages, geo-tag every building, and ask detailed questions on migration, such as birthplace, last residence, duration of stay and reasons for moving.

Digitisation is intended to fix long-standing problems that plagued earlier paper-based counts, particularly the years-long delay in processing data. Officials say real-time uploads could allow provisional numbers within 10 days and final data in under nine months.

But experts warn that the digital shift comes with serious risks, as only about 65% of Indians are online. This has prompted fears that the poorest, most remote and least digitally literate citizens may be undercounted. 

Among those arriving is U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump. Interestingly, Trump's arrival will coincide with the sealing of Pope Francis' coffin. Other heads of state confirmed to attend include French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Hungarian President Viktor Orbán. Notably, both Vladimir Putin from Russia and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will miss the event, as they are subject to outstanding warrants from the International Criminal Court.

As the public prepares to pay their respects, over 90,000 visitors poured into the basilica on Thursday, prompting the Vatican to extend its opening hours late into the night. In a special tribute, a group of poor and homeless individuals will gather around Pope Francis' coffin prior to the funeral.

The late pontiff is to be laid to rest at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, chosen for its proximity to an icon of the Virgin Mary that had always been a source of prayer for him. Following the funeral, the cardinals of the church will not convene to select the next pontiff until at least May 5. Arrivals of cardinals have been ongoing, with an initial meeting of 113 members taking place on Thursday to deliberate church-related matters. They are scheduled for another gathering on Friday, though it appears to be more of an organizational meeting.

Italian Cardinal Fernando Filoni commented on the preparations, stating, “We are getting ready, but we still have not entered into the more intense phase. We are in the organizational phase”. The tension and anticipation for both the funeral and the eventual conclave hangs palpably in the air as Rome accommodates those wishing to honor Pope Francis’ legacy.