Greater Noida (Hridaya Mohan): In a landmark move, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has given the green signal to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming decennial census exercise. This long-debated issue—central to Indian politics and social justice—has now taken a definitive turn. For the first time since 1931, the country is preparing to count and categorise its citizens by caste in an official and comprehensive manner.
This watershed decision, promises to reshape the nation’s understanding of itself. The decision marks a significant shift in policy and public discourse, prompting both hope and apprehension. While it promises long-overdue data for more equitable governance, it also raises critical questions about identity, social cohesion and the role of the state in recognizing caste. As we embark on this unprecedented exercise, we must ask: What truths will this mirror reveal about our society and is India prepared to act on what it sees?
The Burden of Uncounted Realities
For nearly a century since the last comprehensive caste census, India has governed its complex social fabric with partial data at best. While independent India’s census meticulously documented Scheduled Castes and Tribes, its silence on Other Backward Classes (OBCs) created a glaring knowledge gap. The 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census attempted to fill this void, but its data remained largely unutilized – a cautionary tale about good intentions without political will.
This new enumeration breaks that pattern of neglect. By counting what has long been rendered uncountable, we finally gain tools to measure the true depth of inequality. As development economist Jean Drèze observes, “You cannot fix what you cannot measure.” The census will reveal not just who we are, but crucially, who has been left behind.
A Data Vacuum, Finally Addressed
The 1931 caste census, conducted under colonial rule, remains the last full accounting of the country’s caste demographics. The new census initiative has the potential to correct this democratic deficit. With accurate, contemporary data, policymakers can recalibrate welfare schemes, reservations and development priorities. For historically marginalized groups, this is more than a symbolic victory—it is a practical tool for demanding their rightful share in India’s growth story. But will this exercise translate into meaningful change or will it remain another bureaucratic checkbox?
Opportunities and Equity
The census could also reveal the disparities that continue to define Indian society. For example, if caste is recorded alongside education, occupation, income and land ownership, we may finally gain a full picture of how inequality persists and evolves in 21st-century India. Such insights could fuel better targeting of government schemes, bridge regional disparities and ensure resources are allocated more fairly.
Furthermore, inclusion of caste data in a government-sanctioned exercise could legitimize the struggles of communities often ignored or clubbed into broad categories. In this sense, the move has the potential to deepen India’s democratic roots by recognizing the complexity of its social structure.
Beyond the Numbers: The Politics of Recognition
The decision’s political dimensions are undeniable. From Mandal to Modi, caste enumeration has always been more than demography – it’s about power. Some fear this exercise will fossilize caste identities at a time when India is striving to transcend them; others argue we must first recognize structural inequities to dismantle them.
Bihar’s recent caste survey offers compelling insights. Its finding that OBCs and EBCs constitute nearly 63% of the population forced a rethinking of development priorities. At the national level, such data could transform everything from education budgets to healthcare access. Yet, as political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot warns, “Data alone doesn’t bring change – it’s the political mobilization around data that matters.”
Risks of Reinforcement and Political Misuse
However, this new path is not without peril. The act of officially categorizing citizens by caste could entrench divisions, turning temporary categories of social upliftment into permanent lines of separation. There are also fears of political exploitation. In a highly competitive electoral landscape, detailed caste data could be weaponized to engineer vote banks and manipulate electoral outcomes. The census could shift from being a tool of governance to an instrument of electoral arithmetic.
Moreover, the logistics of conducting a caste census in India are daunting. With thousands of castes (Jatis) and sub-castes—many of them hyper-local and overlapping—the risk of inconsistency and exclusion looms large. The experience of the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), which suffered from data quality issues and was never fully released, should serve as a cautionary tale.
The Policy Imperative: From Headcounts to Transformation
A caste census’s true value lies not in counting, but in what we do with the numbers. Consider three critical applications:
Charting a Responsible Course
For this historic exercise to succeed, it must be guided bytransparency, scientific rigor and constitutional values. Independent oversight bodies, robust data verification processesand clear communication strategies will be essential to ensure public trust. Above all, the purpose of the caste census must be clearly framed—not as a way to divide India further, but as a step toward healing historical injustices.
The government must also commit to publishing the data in a timely and open manner. Suppressing findings for political expediency would betray the spirit of this exercise and erode faith in public institutions.
Counting Toward Justice
India’s decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census is both bold and overdue. It offers a chance to illuminate the shadows in which caste inequalities continue to thrive. But it also demands responsibility, sensitivity and foresight. Done right, this census could help India move from the politics of identity to the politics of inclusion.
An Unfinished Journey
Dr. Ambedkar’s vision of annihilation of caste begins with its honest acknowledgment. This census represents not an end, but a beginning – the first step in converting recognition into redistribution, data into dignity.
The coming years will test whether India can transform this statistical exercise into substantive change. As we finally count caste, we must remember: the numbers matter, but what we build with them matters more. The census is our mirror – will we have the courage to see clearly and the wisdom to act accordingly?
As the nation prepares to count caste, we must also count on our institutions to use this knowledge wisely—and on our society to turn that knowledge into justice.
About the Author
Mr. Hridaya Mohan is a regular Columnist with a renowned Indian daily “The Hitavada” and some other newspapers / magazines internationally. Superannuated as Executive Director, Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), he is Senior Adviser, Metallon Holdings Pvt. Ltd. presently. He headed SAIL office at Beijing as Chief Representative (China & Mongolia) for six years. He has published and presented seventeen papers globally. Recipient of “Sir M Visvesvaraya Gold Medal”for one of his papers, “Benchmarking of Maintenance Practices in Steel Industry” from The Institution of Engineers (India), he was awarded with “Scroll of Honour” for the excellent contributions to Engineering fraternity from IE(I), Bhilai, “Jawahar Award” for leadership excellence in SAIL and “Supply Chain Leader – 2017” award from IIMM.
