The Congress government projects the survey as key to its social justice agenda and a political edge over BRS and BJP, fulfilling Rahul Gandhi’s “Jitni abadi, utna haq” campaign promise
Published Jul 20, 2025 | 3:19 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 20, 2025 | 3:19 PM
A study report on caste census submitted to Telangana government
Synopsis: The Independent Expert Working Group (IEWG) submitted a 300-page report on the SEEEPC survey to Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy on July 19, aiming to advance data-driven, socially just governance. Lauded for its scientific approach, the report is seen as a model for nationwide caste-based surveys. The state plans to integrate its findings into policy after broad public consultations.
In continuation of the ongoing efforts for ushering in data-driven governance and ensuring social justice, the Independent Expert Working Group (IEWG) submitted a comprehensive 300-page report on the Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political, and Caste Survey (SEEEPC) to Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday, 19 July.
The report, presented at the Dr. MCR HRD Institute in Hyderabad, was praised by the speakers who attended the ceremony for its “scientific methodology” and “data collection process.” The speakers even said it set a blueprint for nationwide caste-based surveys.
According to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, the state cabinet will discuss the IEWG’s findings in detail, with plans to integrate the recommendations into policy frameworks. The government has promised to release aggregate data to the public while protecting individual privacy. Consultations with scholars, intellectuals, and community leaders are planned to ensure inclusive policymaking.
The IEWG, chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy and including notable members such as Prof. Kancha Ilaiah, Prof. Shantha Sinha, and French economist Thomas Piketty, praised the survey’s methodology as “scientific, authentic, and reliable.”
The IEWG’s report, submitted at a meeting attended by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and ministers including Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar, said the survey would serve as a model for the nation. The committee highlighted urban-rural disparities and provided recommendations for fine-tuning welfare schemes and designing future policies to bridge inequalities.
The SEEEPC, known as Telangana’s caste survey, was launched on 6 November 2024, following a resolution passed by the Telangana State Legislature on 16 February 2024.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy hailed the survey as a “mega health check-up” of Telangana’s society and said that it covered 3.55 crore individuals across 1.12 crore households, achieving 96.9 percent coverage. The exercise, conducted in two phases with over 1,03,889 enumerators and supervisors, is the first comprehensive caste-based survey in India.
The survey’s findings tabled in the Telangana Legislative Assembly on 4 February 2025 revealed the state’s caste-wise demographic composition:
Backward Classes (BCs): 2,00,37,668 people (56.36 percent), including 35,76,588 BC Muslims (10.08 percent).
Scheduled Castes (SCs): 61,91,294 people (17.42 percent).
Scheduled Tribes (STs): 37,08,408 people (10.43 percent).
Other Castes (OCs): 56,13,389 people (15.79 percent), including 8,80,424 OC Muslims (2.48 percent).
Of the 243 sub-castes identified, 73 account for 96 percent of the state’s population, including 10 SCs, 7 STs, 45 BCs, and 11 OCs. The survey also noted a gender distribution of 50.51 percent male and 49.45 percent female, providing a comprehensive demographic snapshot.
The Telangana caste survey has been hailed as a historic achievement, with the IEWG describing it as a “role model for the nation.” Chief Minister Reddy, speaking at the report’s submission event, assured that the government would carefully consider the panel’s recommendations to enhance welfare schemes and address urban-rural disparities. The survey’s success has bolstered calls for a nationwide caste census, with Rahul Gandhi citing it as a template for equitable resource allocation.
The Congress government has positioned the survey as a cornerstone of its social justice agenda with an intention to have an upper hand over its political rivals—BRS and the BJP. The ruling party claims that it is in fulfilment of the electoral promise made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who gave out the slogan, “Jitni abadi, utna haq” (rights proportionate to population).
The state assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on 4 February 2025, urging the Union government to conduct a nationwide caste census, citing Telangana’s survey as a blueprint. The Congress hopes that the survey and its attempt to use welfare funds for targeted sections in proportion to their population, as well as their needs, will ensure social justice. The targeted delivery of benefits is seen as an attempt to ensure social justice for sections that had hitherto been left out on account of a lack of data.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
