Caste Census Planned, But India's OBC Count Will Still Remain Unknown

National News: The Indian government has taken a significant decision to conduct a caste-based census in 2027 using digital means. For the first time, government officials will visit households and ask not only the usual questions about name, age, address, and religion but also inquire about caste. However, there will be no questions related to class—whether economic or social. This means that the exact number of OBCs (Other Backward Classes) will not be revealed through this census.

Caste Categories Vary from State to State

According to sources, the central government has clarified that this will strictly be a caste-based enumeration. One major challenge is that a caste considered OBC in one state may be categorized as general in another. Due to this inconsistency, calculating the total OBC population across the country will be highly complicated. Additionally, individuals can self-declare their caste, and the government lacks any system to verify whether the declaration is correct.

Even Muslims Will Have to Declare Caste

Every individual will be required to mention both their caste and religion in this census. This includes religious minorities such as Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians. However, there is still ambiguity on how caste identities among religious groups will be verified or categorized by the authorities.

No Impact on Reservation Policy

The census data will have no bearing on reservation policies. The government has clearly stated that the 50% cap on reservations is a matter under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. Therefore, even if a caste’s population turns out to be significantly large, it will not affect the current reservation limits. This caste census will not influence the delimitation process scheduled for 2026. That process will be based on the 2011 census data. Hence, this new exercise will not alter the structure or number of political constituencies.

First Caste Count Since 2011

India last conducted a socio-economic caste survey in 2011, but the data from that exercise was never made public. Before that, the last full caste census was conducted by the British in 1931. A census did take place in 1941, but its data was not released. After independence, the first census was conducted in 1951, and until 2001, censuses were held every ten years—but without recording caste details.

Congress Pressure, Government Action

The Congress party had been consistently demanding a caste census. Responding to the political pressure, the Modi government finally approved it during a cabinet meeting on April 30, and the official timeline has now been declared. The entire process will be completed in three years via digital methods, whereas earlier censuses often took up to five years to finalize.

What Questions Will Be Asked?

Around 30 questions will be asked during the census. These include name, gender, parents’ names, date of birth, marital status, permanent and temporary address, name of the head of the family, and most importantly—caste. While this will help understand the diversity of castes in the country, it will still fail to reveal which groups are truly socially and economically backward.