Government to count castes, not classes in 2027 census: Sources
The Government of India will undertake the next nationwide census in 2027, and for the first time, caste enumeration will be formally included in the exercise. However, official sources told India Today TV that the data collected will record individual castes, not social categories or classes such as Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs) or Scheduled Tribes (STs).
This means the census will not provide aggregate figures for groups like the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). One of the key reasons cited is the variation in caste categorisation across states — castes classified as OBC in one state may fall under the general category in another.
As per the protocol, every individual will be required to mention their caste along with their religion. This will apply to all communities, including Muslims, Christians, and others.
However, officials admitted there will be no verification mechanism to check the accuracy of self-declared caste data. Government benefits tied to caste, such as reservation, will continue to be granted only on the basis of officially issued caste certificates.
The enumeration will strictly be a caste count and not a socio-economic or class-based assessment. This implies that while the names of castes will be recorded, no effort will be made to classify them into reserved or non-reserved categories under the census process, sources added.
They further clarified that the census will have no bearing on the delimitation exercise scheduled for 2026, which is likely to be based on the 2011 census. Also, the 50 per cent reservation cap, currently under judicial scrutiny, will remain a matter for the Supreme Court to decide, with no role for the government in this context.
The 2027 census will be conducted digitally and is expected to take only three years, a significant reduction from the usual five-year process. It will be carried out in two phases, with March 1, 2027, as the reference date for most parts of the country. In snow-bound and non-synchronous regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be October 1, 2026.
The move to include caste enumeration followed years of demand from political parties and state governments for data that could guide welfare policies and social justice initiatives. The last such comprehensive population census took place in 2011.
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