CURRENT AFFAIRS
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Description
The Government of India has approved the inclusion of caste data in the upcoming national Census, marking a significant policy change. This decision, taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), comes amid growing demand from several political parties for comprehensive caste-based enumeration. Some states like Bihar, Telangana, and Karnataka have already undertaken state-level caste surveys, though Karnataka is yet to publish its findings.
Background Of Caste Data Collection
While India has collected caste-related data since 1951, it has been limited to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). The last complete caste enumeration dates back to 1931. Although data was collected during the 1941 Census, it remained unpublished due to World War II. Over the decades, successive governments have refrained from expanding the caste data collection to include Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and other communities, despite repeated political appeals.
Caste-Based Census Important
A caste census is seen as essential for framing evidence-based welfare policies and updating affirmative action strategies. The current Census framework includes only SC/ST data, leaving a critical gap in understanding the socio-economic status of OBCs and other communities. By adding a few additional columns to gather data on Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs), OBCs, and others, the Census could significantly improve the targeting of government schemes and reservations.
Potential Impact Of Caste Census
Comprehensive caste data could have far-reaching consequences on policymaking, especially regarding reservations and constituency delimitation. Delimitation has been paused until after the first post-2026 Census. Additionally, the recently passed legislation on women’s reservation in legislatures hinges on updated Census data.
The enumeration could also lead to a reassessment of the current 50% cap on reservations. For context:
The Mandal Commission (1980) estimated that OBCs comprise 52% of the population.
The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 2007 placed the figure at 41%.
Presently, the central reservation breakdown includes:
27% for OBCs
22.5% for SCs and STs combined
Previous Efforts And Hurdles
In 2010, then Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily proposed caste data collection for the 2011 Census. Due to logistical concerns, this plan was shelved. Instead, a separate Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) was conducted, but its final dataset excluded comprehensive caste-wise statistics.
Justice Rohini Commission Insights
Established in 2017 under Article 340 of the Constitution, the Justice Rohini Commission was tasked with evaluating the sub-categorization of OBCs to ensure more equitable distribution of the 27% reservation. Though it has submitted its report, the government has not acted on it yet.
The commission proposed a four-tier classification for the 2,633 OBC groups:
Category 1: 1,674 castes ? 2% reservation
Category 2: 534 castes ? 6% reservation
Category 3: 328 castes ? 9% reservation
Category 4: 97 castes ? 10% reservation
An analysis of data from 2018 revealed striking disparities:
25% of OBC groups secured 97% of reserved jobs and educational admissions.
Only 10 OBC communities received nearly 25% of total benefits.
983 OBC castes had no representation, while 994 had just 2.68%.
Some reserved seats were filled by general category candidates due to lack of eligible OBC applicants.
Obstacles Faced By Commission
A major challenge was the lack of accurate data on the population of each OBC group. Without caste-wise Census data, the commission was unable to assess proportional representation. It even sought budget approval in 2018 to conduct a nationwide OBC caste survey.
Census 2021 And Road Ahead
The 2021 Census was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next Census is now likely in 2026 and will take place in two stages:
House Listing and Housing Census
Population Enumeration
Although no official date has been announced, pressure is mounting on the government to carry out a caste-based census, which many believe is vital for ensuring the fair distribution of resources and representation for all caste groups.
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