Caste-Based Census: Status and Relevance in April 2025
In April 2025, the demand for a caste-based census has once again taken center stage in Indian politics and society. Surveys conducted in Bihar and Karnataka have reignited the debate, although uncertainty still looms at the national level. Let’s examine the progress, challenges, and future prospects.
Progress and State-Level Initiatives
Bihar released its caste-based survey report in 2023, revealing that Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) together comprise 63.14% of the population. The survey collected data from 29 million households, fueling calls for policy changes such as increasing the reservation cap. Karnataka revived its 2015 Socio-Economic Survey in 2024–25 for policymaking, covering data from 66 million people. States like Maharashtra, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu have passed legislative proposals for caste data collection, while in Uttar Pradesh, only political demands—such as the Samajwadi Party’s 2022 manifesto—have emerged.
Pressure is mounting on the central government to conduct a nationwide caste census, but no formal announcement has been made. In 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs told the Supreme Court that a caste census is “administratively difficult,” citing the 2011 SECC, which recorded 4.6 million caste categories with 81.9 million errors. The government has raised concerns about social fragmentation and data reliability. The BJP, particularly in OBC-dominated states, is cautious due to upper-caste opposition and electoral risks.
The Supreme Court upheld the validity of Bihar’s survey in 2023, but no fresh ruling on the 50% reservation cap has been made as of April 2025. Petitions on this matter are pending, but no constitutional bench has been constituted. Politically, the Congress Party promised a caste census through a CWC resolution in October 2023, and opposition leaders have framed it as essential for “economic and social justice.” Tamil Nadu demanded a caste census from the Centre in June 2024 but refused to conduct one independently, citing that only the Centre has the authority under the Census Act, 1948.
The necessity of caste data can be inferred from surveys like NFHS-5 (2019–21), which showed literacy rates of 59% among SC/ST women compared to 80% among upper-caste women. The average annual income of rural OBC agricultural laborers (₹1.2 lakh) is significantly lower than that of general category farmers (₹3.5 lakh). These disparities highlight the urgent need for precise policies, which require accurate caste data.
Critics argue that caste data could fuel political polarization. Online debates—such as claims on platform X about BJP-RSS fear—reflect this sentiment. Without transparent guidelines and data privacy, such surveys could breed distrust. Technical challenges also remain: training 3.3 million enumerators, developing digital apps (like Bihar’s “Bijaga”), and coordinating with the Statistics Commission are crucial tasks.
While a national caste census announcement in 2025 is possible, implementation before 2026 remains unlikely. The Centre must work with states, the Statistics Commission, and sociologists to finalize fieldwork protocols, enable digital documentation, and prepare caste lists. The data must be integrated with indicators like income, education, health, and land ownership.
Caste census must not become a political weapon. If India adopts transparency and a scientific approach, this survey could form a solid foundation for social justice and policymaking—helping reduce inequalities that have persisted for decades.
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