In India, since 1881, a population census has been conducted regularly every ten years; the census of 2011 being the 15th and the latest in the series. Based on analysis of the provisional data for the 2011 Census, Released recently by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India—the present study identifies the relevant trends and patterns, provides comparative perspectives with respect to earlier censures and draws some notable conclusions at the national and state levels in areas such as size, distribution and growth of population; sex ratio; literacy; and urbanisation. An introductory chapter describes the methodological and other innovations as introduced through the 2011 Census and the appendices to the main text reproduce the newly introduced schedules besides compiling the District level data for all the 640 districts of India, covering various indicators. The publication as a whole should be a useful reference material for the concerned scholars.