Next census will include caste enumeration: Govt

Caste-based enumeration will be a part of the next decadal census, the Union government announced on Wednesday, in a landmark decision that revived an idea abandoned at Independence that will have sweeping socioeconomic and political ramifications.

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran

The decision, taken at the high-powered cabinet committee on political affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was hailed by political parties across the board.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) attributed the decision to the government's social justice agenda, but the Opposition said its sustained pressure forced the administration to buckle on a sensitive topic that was a key issue of the 2024 general election campaign.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the cabinet committee of political affairs has decided today that caste enumeration should be included with the forthcoming census," Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

"It demonstrates that the government is committed to the values and interests of the society."

He didn't give a date when the decadal census, already delayed by at least four years, is set to begin. But officials suggested that the headcount could commence towards the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance claimed credit for the announceclaimed credit for the ment that meant India will be physically counting caste as part of the census for the first time since 1931.

"The government opposed a caste census till now but suddenly decided to do it. We welcome this step," said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who made the demand a central poll plank in successive elections.

In the briefing, Vaishnaw said the census came under the purview of the Centre, but some states did caste enumeration in the name of surveys "non-transparently" which created doubts in the society.

Bihar, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have conducted caste surveys in the last three years, while Karnataka is mulling the release of data of a survey conducted in 2015.

All states were ruled by non-BJP dispensations when the surveys were done.