India's census process is finally moving forward, with house-listing operations beginning this month, paving the way for a comprehensive population enumeration next year. The new census data is expected to provide crucial insights into the demographic landscape of India in 2027, detailing urban versus rural populations, literacy rates, and gender ratios across various regions. However, the Indian census has historically been underutilized, primarily due to operational silos that prevent effective collaboration between census and survey officials. Past attempts to centralize census operations faced resistance, limiting the potential utility of the data collected. Despite some efforts, such as the post-enumeration survey conducted in 2011, the accuracy of census data remains questionable, particularly regarding migrant populations. Experts suggest that establishing a unified statistical agency could enhance the efficiency and reliability of census operations, allowing for more timely and accurate demographic estimates. This approach would also help address the biases inherent in data collection processes, particularly in the context of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence. By pooling data from various sources, India could achieve annual population estimates with lower error margins, making demographic data more accessible and actionable for policymakers.