Census 2011

   1. It's not only population that Census 2011 will gauge. Being described by government officials as possibly the biggest demographic exercise in the history of mankind — involving 25 lakh census officers and 11,631 metric tonnes of paper — the latest census will also measure the usage of mobile phones & computers, reach of internet & banking services as well as availability of potable water in Indian households.
   2. However, the census will avoid going into parameters such as caste and subcaste.
   3. Census 2011, which gets underway on April 1, will start with President Pratibha Patil becoming the first citizen to be enumerated at 10 am, followed by Vice-President Hamid Ansari, who will get listed at 11 am.
   4. The census will have two phases. The first phase involving house-listing and housing Census will be conducted between April and July, with each state/UT getting 45 days to complete it. The second phase, involving population enumeration, will be conducted simultaneously all over the country from February 9 to 28 next year.
   5. India has held Censuses uninterruptedly since 1872, every 10 years, through the freedom struggle, Partition, World Wars and natural calamities.