Caste has been an intrinsic part of Indian society since the post-Independence period, and it is a crippling institution, causing inseparable harm to the marginalized people. It is a social construct, which is still deeply embedded in Indian society, and still people are discriminated against on the basis of caste. Only 15% of the marriages that occur are inter-caste, which clearly demonstrates that people still have certain preconceived nations attached to certain castes. In India, there hasn’t been a proper count of data since the 1931 census. It becomes imperative to conduct a caste census in order to address these inequalities and guide policies to fix them.
Source – Nazariya Magazine
Bihar’s Bold Initiative
The last caste census was done in 1931. Since then, despite the rising demands for a caste census and the central role that caste plays in every aspect of an individual, no efforts were taken to update the crucial data to address the inequality. In 2022, however, Bihar took the significant initiative to conduct a caste -based census in its own state and release its findings.
The Bihar government had passed the resolution twice, agreeing to a caste census on 18 February 2019 and then on 27 February 2020. In 2021, an all-party delegation urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conduct the caste census. However, the Union government later in the Lok Sabha said that as a matter of policy, it had decided not to conduct a caste-based census. In response, Bihar government issued a notification declaring the conduction of a caste census in the state on its own, with the allocated 500 crore from its contingency fund.
The reports published by the Bihar government showcase the urgent need to revamp the reservation system. The survey shows that more than two third of the population of over 130 million belonged to backward or marginalized communities.
Affirmative Actions
The affirmative actions that were introduced by the government to compensate the marginalized groups for the years of discrimination and for their upliftment are based on the data, which is 100 years old. Meanwhile, the newer reservation system, which was introduced for the economically weaker section, was introduced without any clear data. So, it becomes significant to have a caste census across India and redefine the social structure. Even the critiques of the reservation system should advocate for a caste census, as it paves a way to a more equitable future. Accurate data would ensure that the intended beneficiaries – those in urgent need – are prioritized.
Currently, many individuals belonging to the lower caste who are financially well off and have achieved social advancement due to Sanskritization, where individuals achieve upward mobility by adopting the lifestyle of upper castes and climb up the social hierarchy, continue to avail reservation benefits. This practice not only reinforces inequality within lower caste groups but also deprives economically disadvantaged individuals of general categories of opportunities.
Source – The New Indian Express
Opposition to Caste Census
Some people and the ruling parties opposes the caste-census declaring that it would lead to further social divisions. But this statement ignores the fact that India is already immersed in a number of caste divisions, and it affects every part of their life. Believing that caste division doesn’t exist will not solve the problem. Instead, collecting data on caste will help to reduce the lacuna and can help the government frame better policies.
The ruling party opposes the caste census because they fear that it would develop caste consciousness among people, threatening their Hindutva ideology. On the other hand, opposition parties are calling for a similar caste census across India, with the intention of broadening their base and defeating the dominant BJP.
The caste census is not merely a tool for identifying the persisting inequalities but a way to achieve a more egalitarian and inclusive society. The caste census data would help to identify the marginalized communities as well as ascertain the areas of inequalities and frame policies accordingly. It would ensure fairness, aligning the system with its intent of uplifting the marginalized communities.
