Caste census starts in Telangana

New Delhi: The Congress party in Telangana has begun its caste-based survey on Saturday with 80,000 ennumerators to be going door to door over the next few weeks, covering over 1.17 crore households across 33 districts in the state.
Taking to his official handle on X, General Secretary Media Jairam Ramesh posted, “This is the first time a caste-based survey is being conducted by the government in Telangana since 1931. It is a historic, revolutionary moment – one that is a realization of the Telangana Movement’s aspirations for the state and a fulfillment of one of the key ideals of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution.” He added, “It is also, as Rahul Gandhi noted in Hyderabad earlier this week, a blueprint for the national caste census that the I.N.D.I.A. coalition’s government will conduct. This census, and the lifting of the Supreme Court’s arbitrary ceiling of 50% on reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes are central to Indian National Congress’ vision for the country. We are committed to the idea of social, political, and economic justice in India, as laid out in our Constitution and as envisioned by India’s founding fathers.”
Caste-based survey is a population survey in order to collect data on the various caste groups within the country. The goal of such a survey is to understand the social and economic conditions of different castes, including those categorised as Scheduled Castes SC, ST, OBC, and other categories. The Congress party has proposed such a survey so that it will help identify social inequities, inform policy decisions and aid development programs as the central and state governments can design more effective welfare programs, especially for economically weaker sections.
A Congress spokesperson said, “The announcement of the caste based survey in Telangana will send a message in Maharashtra, which will help the party gather the votes of the socially backward classes in the poll bound states. Moreover, it also shows that the Congress party is serious about social justice as most of the states it is currently in power in has already initiated the survey.”
However, the idea remains controversial, with critics arguing that it could reinforce caste identities and lead to social divisions. The Congress party has repeatedly contended that it is a step toward social justice by acknowledging and addressing the diverse needs within the country’s population. Also, some states, such as Bihar and Karnataka, have already conducted their own caste-based surveys recently.
Historically, caste data was included in the census until 1931, but since then, only SC and ST data has been officially gathered, leaving other caste demographics largely undocumented. In recent years, however, there has been increasing demand, particularly from state governments, to conduct a comprehensive caste survey.