In a landmark decision, the Union government on Wednesday confirmed that the next national census will include detailed caste data for the first time in decades. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking at a cabinet briefing, announced that the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has approved the inclusion of caste enumeration in the forthcoming census exercise.
This move, long demanded by opposition parties and social justice groups, marks a significant shift in India’s demographic data-gathering process. “The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs decided to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census exercise,” Mr. Vaishnaw stated, calling it a step towards greater transparency.
Caste data — which will involve recording various castes and sub-castes and their population across India — was last collected in a comprehensive manner during the 1931 census. Since then, only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have been enumerated separately, while data on Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and other castes has been absent from official census records.
The minister assured that the census will be conducted in a “transparent” and methodical manner. The announcement also included a veiled critique of the Congress and other opposition parties, who have repeatedly accused the ruling BJP of ignoring the need for a caste census, especially during state and national election campaigns.
This decision could significantly impact policymaking, welfare distribution, and political discourse in the country, as caste-based data is expected to provide a clearer picture of India’s socio-economic landscape. The government has yet to confirm a date for the census, which has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.