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Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
How Telangana plans to use caste survey data to measure ‘relative backwardness' of subcastes
Telangana has announced the formulation of a Composite Backwardness Index using the state's caste survey data to measure disparities across 243 subcastes. The 'relative backwardness' of the subcastes will be measured using 43 parameters in rural and urban areas, said a statement by the expert committee constituted this year by the state to study, analyse and interpret data collected by the Social Education Employment Economic Political and Caste (SEEEPC) survey of 2024. The expert committee has also recommended that the government make SEEEPC datasets available to the research fraternity without revealing any household-specific information. Of the 243 subcastes, 73 subcastes constitute 96% of the population of Telangana. These include 10 subcastes of Scheduled Castes, seven subcastes of Scheduled Tribes, 45 subcastes of Backward Classes and 11 subcastes of Other Castes, the expert committee revealed on Thursday. 'The Composite Backwardness Index will be a numerical and objective measure of the relative backwardness of each subcaste computed through a quartile-based statistical analysis using all the parameters of the SEEEPC data,' the expert committee said. The committee is includes retired Supreme Court Justice Sudarshan Reddy as chairman, writer and academic Kancha Ilaiah as vice chairman and Praveen Chakravarthy as member convener. The 43 parameters used to measure backwardness will include social circumstances, educational background, living standards, occupation, income, movable and immovable assets, and access to banking and finance, the committee said. The parameters were adopted by striking a parallel with the Mandal Commission Report, which had used 11 parameters to compute relative backwardness, it said. The Telangana caste survey had covered 3.55 crore people and collected information about 75 fields, including 'social, economic. educational, identity, occupational and living aspects of their daily lives,' the statement said. According to the expert group, once the disparity is studied, the next phase would include the drafting of a report. 'We expect to submit the report to the government of Telangana in a month's time or before,' the statement read. 'The report will present as ordinal ranking of relative backwardness of each subcaste based on the CBI (Composite Backwardness Index) score as well as ranking of each subcaste on each of the seven categories and parameters used for evaluation.' The next meeting of the expert committee will be held soon to discuss and approve the final report, the statement said.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
After caste survey, T to develop backwardness index for sub-groups
1 2 Hyderabad: In a major initiative aimed at advancing data-driven and equitable policymaking, the Telangana Planning and Development Society (TGPDS) is developing a composite backwardness index (CBI) for each of the state's sub-castes. This will be the first effort of its kind at the state level to provide a statistically grounded, objective measure of relative backwardness across communities. The index is being built using data from the Social, Educational, Employment, Economic, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey conducted in 2024. The CBI will quantify levels of disadvantage using quartile-based statistical analysis and provide both aggregate and category-specific rankings of sub-castes based on multiple socio-economic dimensions. The development of this index is being overseen by an expert working group chaired by retired Justice Sudarshan Reddy, constituted in March this year. The initiative draws inspiration from the Mandal Commission, which used 11 key indicators to evaluate the backwardness of sub-castes at the national level. Sources said the committee is planning to finalise the report within a month. The CBI will provide an ordinal ranking of sub-castes, alongside individual scores across seven comprehensive domains: Social status, educational attainment, living conditions, occupation, income levels, ownership of movable and immovable assets, and access to banking and financial services. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tukarkan Bitcoin dan Ethereum - Tanpa Dompet Diperlukan! IC Markets MULAI SEKARANG Undo In total, the analysis is expected to include up to 43 parameters. Recent meetings of the expert group—held in Hyderabad and followed by a review session in Delhi—focused on finalising the data and statistical methodology for the CBI. During these sessions, the committee also reviewed preliminary findings, discussed modelling techniques, and reached consensus on visual and analytical frameworks to present the results clearly and meaningfully. In a forward-looking recommendation, the committee has urged the state govt to develop an AI-powered natural language interface to enable researchers to engage with the SEEEPC dataset in aggregated form. This tool would ensure privacy and confidentiality at the household level, while making data accessible for deeper academic and policy analysis, promoting transparency and evidence-based dialogue. "The development of the CBI is rooted in the constitutional values of justice, equity, and inclusion," said Praveen Chakravarty, coordinator of the expert group. "There is consensus on the methodology, the parameters of analysis, the representation of findings, and most importantly, the need to base policy decisions on grounded, inclusive data," he said. The SEEEPC survey covered over 3.55 crore individuals across Telangana, collecting data from 243 sub-castes, including options for individuals identifying as 'no caste' or 'others'—recognising diversity and respecting the right of individuals to self-identify. The scope of the survey spans 75 indicators, touching every aspect of daily life—social, economic, occupational, educational, and beyond. The expert committee is composed of nine full-time members, supported by a group of special invitees who bring a wide range of expertise from sociology, caste studies, public policy, law, history, economics, and statistics.
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Telangana Expert Group finalises method for measuring caste-based disparities from the caste survey
The Telangana government's Expert Working Group, led by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Sudarshan Reddy, has decided to present as an ordinal ranking, indicating the relative backwardness of each sub-caste while measuring social and economic disparities among the downtrodden. The Working Group constituted by the government was tasked with studying and interpreting the extensive data collected through the 2024 Social Education Employment Economic Political Caste (SEEEPC) Survey. The group, which met in New Delhi on Thursday (May 22, 2025) for its fourth meeting, decided to finalise the methodology for measuring social and economic disparities across sub-castes in the State using a Composite Backwardness Index (CBI). The CBI will provide a numerical and objective score for each sub-caste, derived using 43 key parameters from the SEEEPC data. These parameters span seven categories — social status, education, living standards, occupation, income, assets (movable and immovable), and access to banking and finance. The data will be analysed separately for rural and urban areas to study subtle disparities. The approach builds upon the methodology used by the Mandal Commission, which relied on just 11 parameters. The group has also urged the government to develop a natural language interface powered by Artificial Intelligence to allow researchers to interact with the SEEEPC dataset in aggregate form, without compromising individual privacy. This would enable broader academic and policy analysis based on one of India's most detailed socio-economic datasets, the meeting felt. After three meetings in Hyderabad, the meeting in New Delhi marked a key milestone as the group reached a consensus on the statistical model and framework of the CBI. The next and final meeting of the Expert Group will be held soon to approve the report and finalise its submission. The SEEEPC Survey is a pioneering effort covering 3.55 crore individuals across 243 sub-castes. Of the 243 sub-castes enumerated, 73 sub-castes make up 96% of Telangana's population, including ten Scheduled Castes (SCs), seven Scheduled Tribes (STs), 45 Backward Classes (BCs), and eleven Other Castes (OCs). The survey also provided the option of 'No Caste' and 'Others' for those not fitting into existing classifications. The Expert Group comprises nine full-time members and several special invitees, experts in sociology, economics, caste studies, history, law, policy, statistics, and related domains, all serving in an honorary capacity.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Telangana govt's expert group to formulate first-of-its-kind ‘Composite Backwardness Index'
The Telangana government's expert working group has decided to formulate a first-of-its-kind 'Composite Backwardness Index' using the caste census data to measure disparities across the 243 sub-castes enumerated in the survey. The expert working group, constituted by the Telangana government on March 7 this year under the chairmanship of Justice Sudarshan Reddy (Retd.), met here to discuss and analyse data collected under the caste survey conducted in the state. The survey was formulated to study, analyse and interpret data collected under the Social Education Employment Economic Political Caste (SEEEPC) Survey of 2024. Drawing inspiration from the principles enshrined in the Constitution, the expert working group will formulate a 'Composite Backwardness Index' for each of the sub-castes of Telangana. Praveen Chakravarty, the convenor of the expert working group, said the 'Composite Backwardness Index' will be a numerical and objective measure of the relative backwardness of each sub-caste computed through a quartile based statistical analysis using all parameters of the SEEEPC data. He said the expert group will use up to 43 parameters split between rural and urban areas under seven categories namely social, education, living standards, occupation, income, movable and immovable assets and access to banking and finance to compute a holistic measure of backwardness. It may be recalled that the Mandal Commission report used 11 parameters to compute relative backwardness of sub-castes. Chakravarty said the expert group has finished statistical and data work and had a detailed discussion of the findings of the Composite Backwardness Index (CBI) in its meeting today. 'There was a consensus agreement on the CBI method, the parameters used for analysis, the graphical representation and the larger findings. The expert group will move to the next phase of drafting of the report and expects to submit the report to the government of Telangana in a month's time or before,' he added. The report will present as ordinal ranking of relative backwardness of each sub-caste based on the CBI score as well as ranking of each sub-caste on each of the seven categories and parameters used for evaluation, said Chakravarty. The expert group's next meeting will be held soon for discussion and approval of the final report. The expert group has also recommended that the Telangana government provide a natural language interface using Artificial Intelligence to the SEEEPC dataset in aggregate form without revealing any household specific information and make it available for further analysis for the larger research fraternity. The expert group consists of nine full-time members and other special invitees with expertise in sociology, caste studies, history, policy, law, economics, statistics and other domains who are working in an honorary capacity to prepare a report of their findings of the SEEEPC survey. The expert group's earlier three meetings were held in Hyderabad. The Telangana 2024 SEEEPC exercise is a robust survey of 3.55 crore people with 75 fields of information about each person covering social, economic, educational, identity, occupational and living aspects of their daily lives. It enumerates people across 243 sub-castes and an option of 'No Caste' for those who do not wish to divulge and 'Others' for those who do not fall into any of the sub-castes listed in the enumeration manual. The survey methodology is rigorous and scientific, making this one of the largest such exercises involving caste identities in the history of independent India. This dataset provides very rich and granular information of disparities across various social groups and its potential causes. Of the 243 sub-castes, 73 sub-castes constitute 96 per cent of the entire population of Telangana, the survey said. These include ten sub-castes of Scheduled Castes, seven sub-castes of Scheduled Tribes, 45 sub-castes of Backward Classes and eleven sub-castes of Other Castes.
