India Insights: India’s Caste Census - Data for Justice or a New Divide?
Lewis J. Goetz
In 1931, colonial India conducted its last comprehensive caste census, an
exercise that revealed the deep social stratification of the time. Since then,
independent India has largely avoided repeating it, wary of the political
and societal consequences such data might unleash.
Nearly a century later, the world’s most populous country is all set to conduct a caste census, reigniting debates about socio-political inequality and democracy. India’s Information Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced last month that the caste census will be conducted to count the many castes and sub-castes in the country that form its social hierarchy, without actually announcing the date for it.
This decision by the Indian Government was met with both support and criticism. Advocates for the caste census argue that accurate data is essential to ensure government support reaches those who need it most, while critics contend that foregrounding caste undermines India’s vision of a modern, globally competitive nation.
As India eyes the 2029 general elections, the caste census is more than a statistical exercise, it’s a political gamble with far-reaching implications. Will it pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable India, or deepen the fractures in an already fragmented society?
Historical Context
Post independence, successive Indian Governments have avoided the counting of caste groups in the country, citing concerns over social unrest, political exploitation, and administrative complexity. Even though the caste system is not as prominent as it used to be a century ago, it still exists and continues to remain a deeply embedded factor in social life and public policy.
In 2011 however, a Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) was released. Touted as a landmark in data-driven governance, the SECC aimed to collect caste data alongside economic indicators. However, the caste data never saw the light of day - officially due to inconsistencies and errors, but widely believed to be shelved for political reasons.
The result has led to more inequality due to the caste system. India has continued to allocate reservations, benefits, and welfare schemes based on outdated or estimated caste figures, while the actual numerical realities remain in the shadows. In essence, caste has been everywhere in governance except in the data.
This legacy of avoidance has fuelled the current push for a comprehensive caste census. Advocates say it’s time to confront the truth; detractors argue that doing so could risk reopening wounds the country has struggled to heal.
A Political Chessboard
As the 2029 General Elections draw closer, political parties are already
recalibrating their strategies in anticipation of a high-stakes contest. Led
by Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party has emerged as a vocal supporter of
the caste census, calling for detailed data collection to tackle deep-rooted
social and economic disparities. Gandhi recently asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's agreement to the caste census was driven by apprehension over the demands of India's marginalized communities, which constitute approximately 90% of the population.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is also adjusting its approach. The party has announced that in many states, especially the northern Indian state of Bihar, almost 75% of its candidates will belong to the backward classes. This strategy follows a detailed caste mapping of the state, aiming to align electoral tactics with Bihar's diverse social composition.
Regional parties haven’t stepped back on using caste politics either. In Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its allies are advocating for reclassification and increased representation for Scheduled Castes and Most Backward Classes. The state government views the proposed caste census as a significant achievement, aiming to address concerns about outdated data and inadequate representation in employment and education.
The Critic’s Concerns
While many, like the opposition parties, support the caste census, it has also sparked a wave of criticism from across the ideological spectrum. Detractors argue that rather than weakening caste consciousness, such enumeration risks further entrenching it in the public imagination and political discourse.
Many people, especially belonging to the lower castes in India, fear that disclosing their caste data to the government can encourage a new wave of discrimination and inequality due to caste. They also believe that the scraping of the reservations system for people from lower castes, especially the Dalits, could lead to them not receiving the same opportunities as the upper castes. They fear that the census could deepen societal polarisation, prompting a surge in competitive victimhood as communities jostle for recognition and resources.
Sociologists and economists have also pointed to the methodological challenges. How will caste be self-declared? What about intra-caste inequalities or overlapping identities? There’s also the risk of reinforcing hierarchies, especially if the focus remains on numbers without addressing the structural roots of inequality.
Ultimately, while the caste census may offer statistical visibility, critics caution that without ethical safeguards and a commitment to long-term reform, it could simply reinforce the very divisions it seeks to remedy.
For decades, caste has broken the country down and torn it apart. It has led to great suffering, and while this caste census could actually do some good, it could also end up bringing back some practices (like untouchability) that took many years for the country to deal with, even though it still continues to fight it in some rural parts of India.
A quote by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar still resonates: “A just society is that society in which ascending sense of reverence and descending sense of contempt is dissolved into the creation of a compassionate society.”
As the numbers are counted, one question lingers: Will this be the beginning of a more honest India, one that dares to see itself clearly, or merely a political detour disguised as progress?
