Caste System India

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

'Caste data in census won't need legal changes under current framework'

The over 70-year-old Census Act will not require changes to allow enumerators carrying out census exercise to seek details of caste from the population, officials said. They said the 1948 law, which was last amended in 1994, authorises the central government to seek details from the populace as may be mentioned in the form. All castes were enumerated during census exercises carried out in British India between 1881 and 1931. But at the time of the first census of independent India in 1951, the then government decided not to count castes any more except for scheduled castes and tribes. A decade later in 1961, the central government asked states to conduct their own surveys and prepare state-specific lists of OBCs if they wished so. Over six decades later now and after demands from several quarters and various parties, the government decided last month to include caste enumeration in the next nationwide census. Citing section 8 of the law, officials pointed out that a census officer

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

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

PM gave headline without deadline: Congress on Centre's caste census move

The Congress on Thursday attacked the government after its announcement of the decision to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the "master of giving a headline without a deadline". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said many questions arise about the decision, especially on the intention of the government, and demanded that the census should be done as soon as possible. Taking a swipe at the prime minister at a debriefing at the party's 24, Akbar Road office here, Ramesh said he is the "master at giving a headline without a deadline". Asserting that the barrier of 50 per cent cap on reservations should be removed, Ramesh asked what is stopping the Modi government from doing this. The Congress demands that there should be a Constitutional Amendment and the 50 per cent cap on reservations be removed, he said, adding that the caste census would be meaningful only when this is done. Ramesh cited a

CWC likely to discuss govt's caste census move in meeting on Friday

The Congress Working Committee will meet on Friday to discuss the government's decision to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census, sources said. The Centre on Wednesday announced that caste enumeration will be part of the next population census, with the inclusion of caste details for the first time since independence. Sources said a CWC meeting will be held at 4 PM at the party's 24, Akbar Road office on Friday to discuss the government decision and the way forward. The CWC had also met last week on April 24 in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has said he welcomes the government's "sudden" decision to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census after "11 years of opposing it" but asserted that the Centre should give a timeline for its implementation. Crediting the sustained campaign run by the Congress for the government's announcement on the caste census, Gandhi has said his immediate suspicion is that this could

Caste cannot be divided for reservation in education, jobs: Karnataka HC

The Karnataka High Court has ruled that a single community cannot be placed under two different reservation categories for education and employment. The ruling came in response to a petition filed by V Sumitra, a resident of Kollegal taluk in the erstwhile Mysuru district, who challenged the state's classification of the Balajiga/Banajiga community. Justice Suraj Govindaraj, delivering the verdict recently, directed the Karnataka government to uniformly classify the Balajiga/Banajiga community under Group 'B', both for educational and employment purposes. The court observed that the state's existing classification, which places the community under Group 'B' for education (under Article 15(4)) and Group 'D' for employment (under Article 16(4)), was discriminatory and unconstitutional. Sumitra was appointed as a primary school teacher in 1993 under the OBC quota as she claimed her caste belonged to Group 'B'. However, in 1996, she received a notice stating that her community was ...

A history of exclusion: Rewatching Jabbar Patel's 'Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar'

The controversy over 'Phule', the recent biopic of Jyotirao and Savitribhai Phule, raises concerns over film censorship in India

Siddaramaiah denies rift over caste survey, says talks still ongoing

Siddaramaiah confirmed that the matter has been deferred and will be revisited in the upcoming cabinet meeting

As private varsities expand, caste and representation issues persist

Institutes in South India do better in including OBC students, but nationwide SC, ST and OBC communities don't have a fair share

Will speak on caste report after cabinet discussion on Apr 17: Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he would speak on the caste census report only after a discussion on it in the special cabinet meeting convened on April 17. He said he would not comment on anything related to it till then. "We have convened a cabinet meeting on April 17 to discuss this lone subject. There we will discuss. After the discussion, I will speak (on the topic)," Siddaramaiah said. He was speaking to reporters here after paying tribute to the architect of Indian Constitution, B R Ambedkar, on his 134th birth anniversary. Karnataka cabinet accepted the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey, 'caste census' in short, on April 11. The State Backward Classes Commission, under its then Chairperson H Kantharaju, was tasked with preparing a caste census report. The survey work was completed in 2018 towards the end of Siddaramaiah's first tenure as Chief Minister, and the report was finalised by his successor K Jayaprakash Hegde in February 2024. Siddaramaia

Karnataka govt to not take hasty decision on caste census, says Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said that the government will not take any hasty decision regarding the Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly known as the 'caste census', that was recently tabled before the state cabinet. He said the cabinet will go through the report and discuss it, and will do justice to all based on the facts, as he also called the statements being made against the report as "political". The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes' report was placed before the cabinet on Friday, and it will be discussed at a special cabinet meeting scheduled on April 17. The Commission, under its then Chairman K Jayaprakash Hegde, had submitted the report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on February 29 last year, amid objections raised by certain sections of society and voices against it from within the ruling Congress. "The CM has spoken about it. I have not yet seen the report as I was visiting Belagavi and Mangaluru yesterday. It

Caste census report recommends 51% quota for backward classes in Karnataka

The caste census report, submitted to the Karnataka cabinet, has recommended enhancing the reservation for Backward Communities from the existing 32 per cent to 51 per cent. According to government sources, the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey, caste census in short, also highlighted that the population of BC is 70 per cent. The report also suggested that 51 per cent reservation should be given to the BCs in educational institutions in the state. It cited the example of Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, which are providing 69 and 77 per cent reservations respectively as per the backward class population, the sources said. As per the survey report, the population of Backward Communities in 1A category is 34,96,638, 1B- 73,92,313, 2A- 77,78,209, 2B- 75,25,880, 3A-- 72,99,577 and the Backward Community in the 3B category is 1,54,37,113, sources claimed. This way the total population of Other Backward Castes is 4,16,30,153. The sources, citing the report, claimed that the Scheduled Cast

Caste-based survey to be conducted in next fiscal: Jharkhand minister

The proposed caste-based survey will be conducted in Jharkhand in the next financial year, a minister said in the state Assembly on Monday. He said the Personnel department has already been made a nodal agency to hold the task. "The government is serious about holding the caste-based survey in the state. A decision in this regard has already been taken in February last year. We will make all our efforts to conduct the survey during the next financial year," Transport, Revenue and Land Reforms department minister Deepak Birua said replying to a question raised by Congress MLA Pradip Yadav in the assembly. Yadav wanted to know about the deadline to conduct the survey. He also asked the government about the exercise done by the personnel department till now. Birua said that the department issued a notice on March 4 to hire an agency in a bid to ascertain the total number of people required, levels of work and financial aspect in the exercise. "I talked to a few agencies but it will t

Rahul calls for 'caste census' after Telangana accepts 42% OBC reservation

Rahul Gandhi asserted that Telangana has shown the way, this is what the whole country needs

Nitin Gadkari opposes caste politics, says merit should define individuals

Gadkari asserted that an individual's worth should be determined by their qualities rather than caste, religion, language, or gender

Opposition explodes over Telangana's 'flawed' Backward Classes count

Political storm erupts in Telangana over caste survey as BJP, BRS question drop in Backward Classes population, while government defends data accuracy and methodology

Cong asks if PM views caste census as divisive, seeks quota ceiling lift

The Congress on Wednesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi with questions on Bihar, asking whether he thinks that a caste census is divisive and will he take decisive steps to remove the "arbitrary" 50 per cent ceiling on reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and OBCs. Ahead of the prime minister's engagements in Bihar, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said he has four questions for the PM as he visits Darbhanga. Why was AIIMS Darbhanga so delayed, Ramesh asked. "The AIIMS in Darbhanga was announced by then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Union Budget for 2015-2016. Locals have been waiting for the hospital since then, but it took nine years for work to even begin," Ramesh said in his post on X. It appears that the delay was partly due to the Union Government's insistence on seeking political credit for it, and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's machinations to ensure he benefitted from it, Ramesh alleged. "Will the non-biologic

Telangana govt to begin caste survey today, to cover 11.7 mn households

This is the first time a caste-based survey is being conducted by the government in Telangana since 1931