Context : Key Decision
- Cabinet approval: Union Cabinet has approved caste enumeration in the next decennial Census.
- Announcement: Made by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday.
- First time post-Independence: First full caste count since 1931, marking a major policy shift.
Relevance : GS 2(Governance)
Background Context
- Previous Census: The last Census was held in 2011; the 2021 Census has been delayed indefinitely, initially due to COVID-19.
- Historic gap: Since 1931, only Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) have been counted in official Census data.
- 2011 SECC: The Socio-Economic Caste Census was conducted separately from the regular Census and did not mandate caste disclosure.
Implementation Details
- Statutory backing: Caste count to be part of the second and final phase of the upcoming Census with legal support.
- Digital format: Next Census to be conducted digitally via a mobile app.
- App to include a dropdown directory of castes in an “other” column.
- Software for this feature is under testing.
Potential Implications
- Data-driven policy: Will provide authentic data for OBC and caste-based welfare schemes.
- Wider debates: May spark fresh debates on reservation, social justice, and affirmative action frameworks.
- Administrative challenge: Managing caste enumeration accurately across India’s diverse social landscape.
