Transparent caste census vital tool to ensure social justice

Hans India

18-05-2025

For centuries, India endured profound and widespread suffering due to deep-rooted socio-economic, educational, and political disparities that affected the very fabric of our society. The unequal and often unjust distribution of natural resources and opportunities created vast divides between different sections of the population, entrenching poverty and limiting upward mobility for millions. Caste-based discrimination further exacerbated this inequality, systematically marginalizing large segments of society and denying them access to basic rights, education, and fair representation. These structural injustices not only hindered individual progress, but also collectively stalled the nation's journey towards inclusive growth and equitable development, depriving countless citizens of their fundamental right to live a life of dignity and self-respect.
It is, therefore, laudable that the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 30, 2025, decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming national census. This demonstrates the present government's commitment to the holistic interests and values of the nation and society. An official statement issued on the day read: 'As per Article 246 of the Constitution of India, Census is a union subject listed at 69 in the Union List in the Seventh Schedule. While some States have conducted surveys to enumerate castes, these surveys have varied in transparency and intent, with some conducted purely from a political angle, creating doubts in society.'
'Considering all these circumstances, and to ensure that our social fabric does not come under political pressure, it has been decided that caste enumeration should be included in the main census instead of being conducted as a separate survey. This will ensure that society becomes stronger economically and socially, and the country's progress continues without hindrance. It is noteworthy that when a provision of 10 percent reservation was made for the economically weaker sections of society, it did not create tension in any section of society,' added the statement, further stating how the previous government at the Centre led by Dr Manmohan Singh opted for a survey instead of a caste census, known as the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC).
Caste-based social discrimination has a complex and varied history across the world, with the most notable example being India, where caste has played a regressive role in dismembering social structure for centuries. Powers-that-be were never serious in addressing the repercussions of caste-based discrimination. The first formal attempt to count castes in India occurred during the British colonial rule, starting with the 1871 Census, and continued in successive decennial censuses until 1931, the last time caste data (other than that of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) was officially recorded. The 1941 Census did include some limited tables for a few selected castes in specific districts, but not a comprehensive all-India caste table. The British used caste data to administratively manage diverse populations, often solidifying caste identities in the process.
In recent decades, debates around caste census re-emerged in our country, particularly for policymaking, affirmative action, and resource allocation, amid growing concerns about underrepresentation and social justice. Now the Centre has agreed to count castes. Whether one agrees or disagrees, caste enumeration will neither be divisive nor suppressive but will open up newer and better vistas for inclusion and empowerment of those left behind if the sanctity of details is not compromised and corrective measures are promoted under the ambit of the Constitution, a great asset we have got from none other than Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar. The idea of a caste census aligns closely with the spirit of our Constitution, which enshrines the principles of equality, social justice, and affirmative action. The Constitution recognizes the historical disadvantages faced by marginalized communities including SCs, STs, and OBCs, and provides for targeted policies to uplift them.
A transparent and reliable caste census will serve as a vital tool to ensure that our welfare and affirmative policies are based on accurate and up-to-date data, thereby enhancing their effectiveness and fairness. By revealing the true socio-economic conditions of various caste groups, such a census will empower the state to frame evidence-based welfare programmes and bridge gaps in representation and opportunity. Currently, most welfare policies and affirmative action programmes are based on outdated or incomplete data, making it difficult to assess whether benefits are reaching those who need them most. Far from being divisive, the caste census supports the constitutional mandate to create a more equitable society by acknowledging disparities and working proactively to address them.
One should also note that a thorough caste census would expose hidden inequalities and help the government design more targeted interventions to uplift marginalized communities. By acknowledging the real extent of caste-based disparities in education, employment, health, and income, the caste census can move public policy beyond tokenism toward substantive equality. It will foster transparency and accountability in resource allocation, enabling evidence-based decisions rather than assumptions or political calculations. In the long run, recognizing and addressing caste-based disadvantages through data-driven policy could serve as a powerful tool in the larger mission of achieving social justice and ultimately, the annihilation of caste.
The critics and opponents of caste census, who are mainly from the so-called upper caste Hindus and other religious groups, enjoying the benefits of over representation for decades, need to know that in a diverse and democratic nation like India, any attempt to continue marginalizing vast sections of society, whether through skewed policies, social exclusion, limited access to quality education, or economic discrimination, ultimately harms the entire nation. When our citizens are deprived of equal opportunities and dignity for long, the nation's collective strength, innovation, and harmony are eroded.
Remember, a nation is only as strong as its weakest citizen. Undermining the foundations of equity and inclusion will eventually lead to instability, resentment, and a loss of national potential. And those who orchestrate or endorse such divisions will inevitably face the consequences too, socially, politically, and morally. So, be inclusive, responsible and caring. All-round empowerment of all in sync with the Constitution of India is the need of the hour to secure our collective future. Welcome and support caste census, which must be conducted realistically and is not tempered numerically at all. It must reflect the writings on the wall, and must not suppress or hide them in any respect.