<Tr> <Th> Most populous region </Th> <Td> Bengal Presidency (62,680,633) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Least populous region </Th> <Td> Kingdom of Manipur (126,000) </Td> </Tr> <P> The 1872 Census of India was the first comprehensive census of India, then a component of the British Empire . The census has been held every ten years following, with the fifteenth national census held in 2011 . This census was preceded by the British decennial census of 1801 and decades of regional surveys in India . </P> <P> In the year 1881 - 82 the first approach was made to the taking of a general census for the whole of India at a given date . Enumerations of the people had already been made in - The North - West Provinces in 1853 and 1865 - Oude in 1869 - The Punjab in 1855 and 1868 - The Hyderabad Assigned Districts in 1867 - The Central Provinces in 1866 </P>

When was the first census done in india