Caste In India

People of Bihar rejected casteist agenda of opposition, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the people of Bihar had rejected those who spewed the poison of casteism and the Congress, which has become a Muslim League-Maoist combination. Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, he said the Congress' nationalist leaders who had worked with former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were sad due to the stunts of namdar. He was speaking at a programme to felicitate him by people hailing from Bihar living in Surat for the BJP-led NDA's massive victory in the assembly polls in the eastern state. The Congress' spate of electoral defeats in the last decade is a matter of introspection for that party, said Modi. People have rejected the Muslim League-Maoist Congress' (MMC) party. Not only that, but the nationalist leaders in that party who had worked with Indiraji and Rajivji are sad due to the stunts of namdaar' (Rahul Gandhi), Modi said. They (Congress) cannot explain the poll rout to their allies and even to their workers. They ha

The Last Bench: A story that moves readers to question caste norms

This book doesn't call for action to abolish the caste system - yet it leaves the reader wanting to do away with it

Karnataka caste census begins today, minor delay possible in Bengaluru

Social and Educational Survey, popularly known as the 'caste census' in Karnataka, is to begin on Monday, though the exercise may be delayed by a day or two in Greater Bengaluru area in order to impart training and ensure necesary preparations. The survey by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes that will go on till October 7, will see as many as 1.75 lakh enumerators, mostly government school teachers, covering around 7 crore people in approximately 2 crore households across the state. The survey, at an estimated cost of Rs 420 crore, will be conducted "scientifically," with a 60-question questionnaire prepared for the exercise, according to officials. Meanwhile, amid criticism and objections from various sections, including within the ruling Congress, regarding the castes list prepared for the survey, containing a number of castes with dual identities -- having both Christian and Hindu caste names -- like 'Kuruba Christian', 'Brahmin Christian', 'Vokkaliga Christian'

Meet the Savarnas: Ravikant Kisana's book on millennials and exclusion

For a society so deeply entrenched in caste and class, the cognitive dissonance is astonishing. Caste is ancient history one moment, yet dictates marriage or who works at your house the next

Caste, feudal mindset persists in MP judiciary: HC on treatment of judge

In a strongly-worded order, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has deplored the "caste system" and the "feudal mindset" reflected in the judicial structure in the state where those in the high court are considered as "savarn" or privileged ones, while the district judges as "shudras" and "les misrables". It also likened the relationship between the judges of the high court and those of the district courts to that of "feudal lord and serf", adding that a sense of fear and inferiority is consciously instilled by one on the subconscious of the other. A division bench of the MP High Court comprising Justices Atul Sreedharan and D K Paliwali made these scathing remarks in its order passed on July 14 while setting aside the dismissal of a special court judge. Instances of the judges of the district judiciary personally attending to judges of the high court are commonplace as also the latter not offering a seat to the former, thereby "perpetuating a colonial decadence with a sense of ...

Revanth Reddy unveils Telangana caste survey, urges national OBC quota push

Following the survey, the Telangana government passed two reservation bills, one for education and employment and another for political representation, allocating 42 per cent reservation for OBCs

Stalin renames govt hostels as 'social justice' for harmony among students

State-run hostels, including those under Adi Dravidar, Tribal, Backward Classes, and Minority Welfare departments, will now be renamed as 'Social Justice Hostels', the Tamil Nadu government announced

In a first, Supreme Court introduces SC, ST quotas in staff recruitment

In a first, the Supreme Court has introduced a formal reservation policy for the direct appointment and promotion of its staffers belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The decision was communicated in a circular issued on June 24 to all Supreme Court employees. "As per the directions of the Competent Authority, it is to notify for the information of all concerned that the Model Reservation Roster and Register has been uploaded on the Supnet (internal email network) and it is made effective from June 23, 2025. "It is to inform further that in case of objections/representations raised by any staff member about mistakes or inaccuracies in the roster or register, they may inform about the same to the Registrar (Recruitment)," the circular said. As per the circular and the model roster now in effect, top court employees will receive a 15 per cent quota and ST employees a 7.5 per cent quota in promotions. According to the policy, the quota benefits will be available to ...

Will demand for removal of 50% cap on quota during Monsoon session: Cong

The Congress on Friday reiterated its demand of making the Bihar reservations law a part of the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, amending the Constitution to overcome the 50 per cent ceiling for reservations and implementing Article 15(5) which enables reservations for SCs, STs, OBCs, and EBCs in private educational institutions. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said most definitely the party will take up these three issues of fundamental importance to social justice and empowerment in the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament. "The PM is in Bihar today. On the basis of the caste survey conducted by the erstwhile INDIA bloc Government in Bihar, the Bihar Government had proposed 65% reservation for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, and EBCs. This is under challenge in the Courts," Ramesh said on X. The double engine government in Bihar has all but given up, he said. But there are three ways out that the Congress has been demanding for lon

Population census at last: Several pending issues need fresh attention

There was a polarisation of views on getting the caste data included in the Census, with the government taking a negative posture while the Opposition was united in demanding it

Datanomics: Census announcement rekindles debate around role of caste

Despite forming the largest caste group, OBCs remain underrepresented in central government jobs

Over 650K calls received on SC, ST atrocities helpline since 2021; UP leads

Over 6.5 lakh calls have been received by the National Helpline Against Atrocities (NHAA) regarding the atrocities against SCs and STs since the launch of the helpline in December 2021, with nearly half of the total calls originating from Uttar Pradesh, official data showed. Of the calls, 7,135 grievances have been officially registered, and 4,314 have been resolved. The helpline, aimed at empowering members of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), is operational round the clock in Hindi, English and regional languages to ensure proper implementation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. These complaints range from incidents of assault, social boycotts, caste-based abuse, land grabbing and denial of access to public spaces to allegations of police inaction in atrocity cases. "Many of the calls received on the helpline are related to inquiries, requests for legal guidance or reports lacking sufficient details to be registered

Kharge writes to Modi, demands all-party meet before caste census

In his letter to the PM, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge calls for an all-party meeting, suggests Telangana model for caste survey and asks for constitutional safeguards for state quotas

Karnataka govt to conduct census of Scheduled Castes from May 5 to 17

The state government has formed a single-member commission, headed by retired High Court judge Nagamohan Das, to gather empirical data on the 101 castes within the Scheduled Castes category

Caste Census: Tejashwi Yadav urges PM Modi to review reservation policies

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him for a "comprehensive review of the social protection and reservation policies" once the exercise to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census is completed. Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly, shared the letter on X on Saturday. It was written on Friday. "Conducting the caste census is merely the first step of the long journey towards social justice. The census data must lead to a comprehensive review of social protection and reservation policies. The arbitrary cap on reservations will also have to be reconsidered," the letter said. The upcoming delimitation exercise should reflect the social realities uncovered by the census, ensuring proportional political representation for marginalised groups, it read. "The redrawing of constituencies should be sensitive to and reflective of the census data," Yadav wrote to the PM. Special provisions must be there for adequate politica

When Congress, Rahul decide, govt has to accept it: Pilot on caste census

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday claimed that the government's caste census decision was the result of the pressure exerted by Rahul Gandhi and said the country has seen that when the party and the Leader of the Opposition resolve to get something done, the Centre has to accept it. Pilot also said the caste census should be done in a scientific, detailed and transparent manner as has been done in Telangana. The caste census should not be done superficially, Pilot told PTI Videos here. "Rahul Gandhi has been raising this (caste census) issue for a long time, but the BJP and the government kept opposing it, saying it is not in the interest of the country and it would divide the country. Suddenly, the government took the decision, thanks to the pressure exerted by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress," the Congress general secretary said. The entire country has witnessed that whenever the Congress and Rahul Gandhi resolve to get something done, the government has to accept it, Pilot

Explained: What is caste census, when was it last held and why is it back?

The NDA government gave the green light to conducting the Opposition's long-standing demand of caste census in the upcoming national Census. Here's a look at its history and possible implications

Caste census: Allocate sufficient funds, fix time limit, Kharge tells govt

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday urged for allocation of sufficient funds and fixing of a time limit for the caste enumeration in the next census, which has been announced by the Central government. The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said, Congress and other opposition parties demanded for caste census and had staged agitation for it throughout the country, and now they are happy that they have achieved what they intended for. "I had written a letter two years back on caste census along with general census, they did not agree then, but now the government has taken a decision to conduct a caste census along with general census. It is a good thing and we will fully cooperate for this, but they (BJP) should not comment unnecessarily on Jawaharlal Nehru saying he was opposed to it, this and that," Kharge said. Speaking to reporters here, he said, Jan Sangh and RSS by birth are against reservation, and such people are talking about Congress not being in favour of ..

Govt using caste census to deflect attention from Pahalgam attack: AAP MP

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh said the caste enumeration in the forthcoming census was announced by the government to deflect attention from the Pahalgam terror attack. Singh told reporters at the residence of AAP national spokesperson Sarvesh Mishra in Panditpura village on Wednesday that the Aam Aadmi Party supports the caste census but the BJP government will forget about it after the Bihar elections. Questioning the government's intent behind the caste census decision, the AAP leader compared it to the Women's Reservation Bill, saying "nothing has been done to implement it". "Similarly, you've announced the caste census, but there is no budget allocation, no timeline. Once Bihar elections are over, you will forget about it," Singh said. "The entire nation was waiting to see how the government would act to reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and eliminate terrorists. Instead, 26 unarmed and innocent tourists were killed. Terrorists challenged us on our own soil, and

Govt announces to enumerate castes as well in the upcoming Census exercise

Parties and leaders across the political spectrum welcome the decision