Recently Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has given approval of the caste enumeration census as part of the upcoming Population Census, reversing its 2021 point of view. This decision signifies why a case-based census is imperative in India to understand the socio-economic conditions of disadvantaged groups.
What is a Caste Census?
It is the systematic collection of data on the caste identities of individuals during a national census. It provides a socio-demographic view necessary for affirmative action and social justice planning.
Information about the Caste Census
(i) Legal/Constitutional Backing
(a) No particular constitutional provision orders a caste census, but it is there in the constitution under Article 340 for identifying backwards classes. (b) As per Article 246 of the Constitution of India, the Census comes in the Union List at the 69th position in the Seventh Schedule.
(ii) Historical Context & Origin:
(a) First conducted when the British were ruling India, from 1881 to 1931. (b) Post Independence (1951 onwards), Caste enumeration was excluded, except for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
(iii) Last Caste Census Held:
(a) 1931 Census was the last full caste enumeration. (b) SECC in 2011 tried to collect caste data, but the findings remain unpublished.
Need for Caste Census in India
(i) Data-Driven Affirmative Action: Precise OBC population data is not there; the Mandal Commission estimated 52% OBCs, but without any empirical support. E.g., Bihar’s 2023 caste survey revealed OBC+EBC population at 63%.
(ii) Reservation Rationalisation: Helps in quota restructuring and possible sub-categorisation within OBCs for equitable benefit distribution.
(iii) Social Justice Planning: Helps in providing targeted health, education, and livelihood initiatives for marginalised caste sections.
(iv) Women’s Political Reservation: Census data is essential for delimitation, which will materialise women’s reservation goal in legislatures.
(v) Constitutional Mandate under Article 15(4): Asks the state to draft special provisions for backwards classes, which demands lucid identification.
Challenges to Conducting Caste Census
(i) Enumeration Complexity: Numerous castes/sub-castes, overlapping categories (e.g., SC-OBC status), make categorisation cumbersome.
(ii) Lack of Standardised Caste Lists: Centre and states have their separate OBC lists, making aggregation quite difficult and inconsistent.
(iii) Political Manipulation: Caste data can give wings to vote bank politics, resulting in social polarisation.
(iv) Data Sensitivity & Accuracy: Self-declaration may result in inaccurate reporting or exaggeration, leading to unsatisfactory conclusions.
(v) Risk of Deepening Caste Identities: Critics argue it may instil caste consciousness instead of minimising inequalities.
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Way Ahead
(i) Scientific Categorisation: Build consensus on standardised classification of castes and sub-castes.
(ii) Transparent Methodology: Leverage digital tools and trained enumerators to ameliorate the precision and security of caste data.
(iii) Safeguard Against Misuse: Ensure data privacy and restrict caste data usage to policy and welfare only.
(iv) Post-Census Action Plan: Publish findings, take suggestions from stakeholders, and integrate caste data into policy design.
(v) Constitutional Validation: Any quota revision/sub-categorisation based on caste census must undergo judicial and parliamentary scrutiny.
Conclusion
The caste census marks a major policy change for correcting historical data gaps. While it promises greater social justice, the success will depend on methodological integrity and non-political usage. If executed without any opaqueness, it can redefine India’s affirmative action roadmap for the next generation.