Caste Census

Caste Census

 

  1. Do you think that caste census will lead to socio – economic upliftment of the backward classes? Do they really reduce the caste disparities?

Flow of the answer:

Why this question? Caste census in  Bihar and a demand for conducting caste census across the country.
Key words in the question to be addressed.
  • Caste Census
  • Socio – Economic Upliftment
  • Backward classes
Demand of the question Explaining the social and economic implications of the caste census.
Introduction Bihar caste census data
Main Body 1.     History of caste census

2.     Positive impact of caste census

3.     Caste disparities may not really resolved.
Conclusion Nothing wrong in the caste census when they are related to socio economic development.
Value additions Data of the Bihar Caste census

1931 Census was the last caste census

1992 Indira Sawhney Case

Answer:

Bihar government released the results of survey of castes in the state in October 2023. The proportion of population includes OBCs 27%, EBCs 36%, General 15.5%, SCs 20% and STs 1.6% of the total population.

History of the caste census:

  1. Every Census in independent India from 1951 to 2011 has published data on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but not on other castes.
  2. Last census for OBCs was published in 1931.
  3. The 1941, caste-based data was collected but not published.
  4. The Commission for Back ward classes headed by Mandal in 1980 estimated that the OBC population at 52%.

Advantages of the Socio – Economic census:

  1. Better policies are made for the empowerment of the downtrodden.
  2. Targeted benefits provided to the beneficiaries.
  3. Reservation to the SC ST and OBCs enforced in proportion to their population.
  4. Adequate political representation to the under privileged.
  5. Caste disparities may be reduced.
  6. Effective enforcement of the social legislations like SC ST atrocities prevention act.

Caste disparities cannot be resolved:

Caste disparities may not be resolved just by collecting census or by enforcing a few measures, because of the following reasons –

  1. Caste is deeply rooted in the Indian society.
  2. Welfare schemes are not effective in their implementation due to lack of political will and bureaucratic evils.
  3. To gain the benefits of welfare schemes even the upper castes are seeking to be treated as lower castes.
  4. Collecting caste data violated the citizen’s fundamental right to privacy due to the queries concerning their religion, caste, and monthly income.
  5. Caste census will only lead to vote bank politics.

Constitutionally, State government can collect statistics under concurrent list (entry 45). Patna High court concluded that there is nothing wrong in the caste census which were undertaken for the development and justice in the public interest.

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