01-05-2025
How Telangana's Caste Census Offers a Blueprint for the Centre
As the Centre signals a shift in its stance by announcing its intent to include caste data in the upcoming national Census, the spotlight turns to Telangana, which has already completed one of India's most detailed caste surveys to date.
The Telangana 2024 Social, Educational, Employment, Economic Caste Survey (SEEEPC)—often referred to as the state's caste census—wrapped up in February 2025. Covering nearly 98% of the population, the survey recorded data on over 3.5 crore people across 245 sub-castes, gathering information in 74 categories, including education, employment, income, discrimination, and social mobility.
Over 1 lakh enumerators conducted door-to-door data collection across 33 districts and 94,000+ blocks in just two months—making SEEEPC a data-driven marvel and, arguably, the most extensive caste data effort since the Mandal Commission in 1980.
Why a Caste Census Matters
The rationale behind a caste census is simple yet powerful: to identify social disparities and craft policies based on evidence rather than assumption. Consider this:
Every CEO or MD of a NIFTY 50 company belongs to an upper caste.
Nearly all 12,000 manual scavengers are Dalits.
95% of India's billion-dollar startup founders come from upper castes.
Meanwhile, 95% of gig workers at the bottom rung are from Dalit, backward, or minority communities.
Are these patterns a result of structural discrimination, lack of access, or poverty? A caste census can help answer this question with data.
Learning from Telangana
Unlike traditional enumerations, Telangana's SEEEPC survey focused on three key dimensions:
Population Share – the numerical strength of caste groups. Participation Share – their access to education, jobs, and income. Representation Share – their presence in politics, business, media, and other spheres of influence.
This multi-dimensional approach offers a holistic view of where caste groups stand—not just in terms of numbers but in life outcomes and opportunities.
Moreover, the design of the survey was deeply rooted in local context. Issues like inter-caste marriage, social discrimination, and access to public spaces were examined. Experts argue that such nuances can't be captured by a top-down bureaucratic approach; they require input from sociologists, local communities, historians, and civil society—something Telangana's model emphasized.
Beyond Headcounts: What a Caste Census Can Reveal
Critics often reduce caste census debates to reservation politics. But experts caution that this misses the point. A caste census is a scientific, empirical exercise to understand the depth and scope of inequality. It is not a reservation policy in itself.
In fact, the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that caste-based policies must be backed by rigorous data and expert analysis, not just historical classifications. Thus, a credible caste census becomes foundational for informed policymaking.
Some argue that poverty, not caste, is the real barrier. Even Prime Minister Modi has made this claim. But Telangana's findings challenge this narrative—showing that caste remains a stronger determinant of life outcomes than economic status at birth.
A Welcome Shift
The Modi government's unexpected announcement to conduct a caste census represents a significant policy pivot—one that reflects the growing political consensus around the need for data-backed governance. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has championed this cause, calling caste data the "X-ray" of Indian society.
As the Centre moves forward, Telangana's experience offers vital lessons: involve communities, design carefully, and focus on outcomes—not just numbers.
In a country deeply divided by caste, the solution may lie in confronting the data, not avoiding it.
