Centre to Include Caste Enumeration in Upcoming Census, Says Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw:

Suspense crime, Digital Desk : In a drastic change of policy, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, last Wednesday, revealed that the upcoming national census will also have caste categorization. In a press conference, Vaishnaw mentioned that the decision was made by the Governance’s Political Affairs Cabinet Committee and as such, proves the ruling party's effort in social justice.

“This action will prevent trying to remove the politicization of caste data. It aids advance India's social and economic structure,” he added.

Criticism of State-Level Caste Surveys

Vaishnaw went on to label state-specific caste surveys as ‘unscientific’ and suggested that only a coordinated approach led by the Center could standardize and ensure transparency throughout the country.

Bihar, an NDA-aligned state, has been publishing its own in-house caste data surveys, which have been made public. The Bihar survey captured:

Other Backward Castes (OBC): 63.13%
Scheduled Caste: 19.65%
Scheduled Tribe: 1.68%
General Category ("Upper" castes): 15.52%

Andhra Pradesh has commenced its own exercise dash self-initiated caste data collection from January 2025.

Modi Government’s Stand on Social Justice

Defending his claim, stating that the government pushed for social justice within the Indian society, social inclusiveness based on ethical integrity, rewarded citizenship by calling this move an inclusionary stride alongside advancing for weaker section violence free.

He stated that carrying out caste enumeration at a national level will guarantee that the data is applied reasonably in policymaking, as opposed to being exploited politically.

Political Context Ahead of Bihar Polls

The Bihar assembly elections are expected later this year, and this announcement comes at an opportune moment. The opposition has pointed out the government’s reluctance towards a caste census which has been touted as one of the primary demands for decades.

The Modi government seems to shift its focus towards addressing social equity and more socially responsible governance along with engineered policies.