Navigating the Caste Census Debate

A matter of confidentiality, reporting bias, and political ramifications

- Amitabh Kundu & Mehebub Rahaman

The demand for a caste Census in India primarily stems from the iniquitous access to resources and inadequate political representation of the marginalized and vulnerable population. As affirmative action policies evolved, the necessity of generating robust empirical data to assess the inequitable distribution of socio-political and economic benefits among individuals and caste groups has come to the forefront.

The Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) conducted in 2011 was an attempt to collect such data, thereby ensuring the privacy of respondents. This confidentiality is essential for building public trust, as it encourages individuals to provide accurate and honest information without any fear of exposure or reprisal. The integrity of the data is further reinforced by adhering to a fundamental principle of data collection: Neither the enumerator nor the respondent should derive any personal benefit from the information generated.

Understandably, the SECC was not conducted under the Census Act but was instead carried out through an administrative order. This distinction arose because here the data collection involves a process of community validation at the level of gram sabhas and ward committees. Draft caste-based data was publicly displayed for comments and corrections, allowing for collective scrutiny. While this participatory approach enhanced transparency, it reflected the social norms associated with their caste—a phenomenon known as social desirability bias in social research. This bias tends to be particularly pronounced when sensitive topics such as caste, ethnicity, or gender are involved. When respondents are aware that their household is being identified by caste, their answers may, to an extent, align with societal expectations or stereotypes of their caste, rather than accurately reflecting their actual personal or household situation.

State-level scenarios