Even though the Modi government is taking a cue from states like Karnataka, Telangana and Bihar to collect caste data, minister Vaishnaw said the move aims to bring greater transparency and credibility to caste data while passing jibes that caste surveys conducted by states lack credibility.
Published Apr 30, 2025 | 5:39 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 30, 2025 | 5:39 PM
Vaishnaw criticised the Congress and its allies, accusing them of using caste surveys as a political tool.
Synopsis: The Union Cabinet has approved the inclusion of caste data in the 2026 census, the first official caste enumeration since 1931. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the decision aims to ensure transparency and consistency, stating that caste surveys conducted by states lack credibility. He also accused the Congress and its INDIA alliance partners of politicising caste data and resisting a formal census on the issue.
The Union Cabinet has approved the inclusion of caste enumeration in the upcoming 2026 census, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday, 30 April. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs held earlier in the day.
The decision comes after states like Karnataka, Telangana and Bihar have carried out their own socio-economic, educational and caste surveys to design policies of social justice. The Modi government decision also comes at a time the Opposition’s INDIA bloc, led by Congress’ Rahul Gandhi, has been demanding a nationwide caste census.
Addressing a press briefing, Vaishnaw said the move aims to bring greater transparency and credibility to caste data, which until now has been gathered through independent surveys by state governments rather than through the official national census.
“According to the Constitution of India, the census is a Union subject. Some states have conducted surveys – I emphasise the word ‘surveys’ – to enumerate castes. Some states have done this well, while others have conducted such surveys purely from a political angle, in a non-transparent manner. Such surveys have created doubts in the public mind,” he stated.
“Considering all these facts, and to ensure that the social fabric is not disturbed by politics, caste enumeration should be included transparently – I emphasise, transparently – in the census, instead of through surveys. This will strengthen the social and economic structure of our society while the nation continues to progress.”
Cabinet Briefing by Union Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw @PIB_India https://t.co/LZ0WL9ipiW
— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) April 30, 2025
The upcoming census will be the first to be carried out since the last one in 2011 and will be the first official decennial census since 1931 to include comprehensive caste data beyond Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
So far, states such as Bihar, Karnataka, Telangana and Odisha have independently conducted caste surveys to assess the composition of their respective populations and better target affirmative action.
Telangana and Bihar have passed legislation based on the data from their surveys. However, all these initiatives have faced criticism about their methodology, transparency and political intent.
Vaishnaw criticised the Congress and its allies, accusing them of using caste surveys as a political tool.
“Congress governments have always opposed the caste census. Caste was not included in any of the census operations conducted since independence. In 2010, the then Prime Minister, the late Manmohan Singh, had assured the Lok Sabha that the matter of the caste census should be considered in the Cabinet. A group of ministers was formed to consider this subject. Most of the political parties had recommended a caste census,” he said.
“Despite this, the Congress government decided to conduct only a survey of castes instead of a caste census. That survey is known as SECC [Socio-Economic and Caste Census]. It is well understood that Congress and its INDI alliance partners have used the caste census only as a political tool. As per Article 246 of the Constitution of India, the census is listed at item 69 in the Union List in the Seventh Schedule.”
The Minister said that including caste enumeration in the census would ensure consistency and avoid political misuse.
“This decision reinforces the government’s commitment to social equity and national progress,” he said.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
