The caste census is here. And if you’re a young Indian, you might be wondering — why should I care? Here's the truth: this could be the most impactful government policy in decades, with the potential to shape your future more than anything else. Curious how? We’ll get to that. But first, let’s break down what the news really is — and why it matters. On the 30th of April, the Modi government announced that caste enumeration will be included in the forthcoming census exercise.
The Caste Census Announcement
Announcing the decision, Information and Broadcating (I&B) Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modiji, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has decided today that caste enumeration should be included in the forthcoming Census." This means in the upcoming census, you will also be asked about your caste. The opposition, including the Congress, has been pushing for a nationwide caste census, making it a major election issue. Now they are claiming victory.
Rahul Gandhi Claims Victory
The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "Suddenly, after 11 years, the Caste Census has been announced. We completely support it, but we want a timeline. We want to know when this will happen."In fact, some states such as Bihar, Telangana, and Karnataka have already conducted such exercises. And Rahul Gandhi wants the Modi government to use the Telangana model to conduct the caste census.The Congress MP said, "Telangana has become a model in the Caste Census, and it can become a blueprint. We offer our support to the government in designing the Caste Census."
Congress Playing Politics: BJP
However, the Centre has called the exercise undertaken by the Congress-ruled state a ‘caste survey’ and not a census. It has also accused the opposition of using this issue as a political tool. "It is well understood that the Congress and its INDI alliance partners have used the Caste Census only as a political tool," said the I&B Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The Key Demands
Now, putting the politics of the caste census itself aside, let’s look at why it matters. Here are some of the key demands that several proponents of the caste census have put forward so far:
- First, scrap the fifty percent reservation cap.
- Second, an audit of the participation of OBCs, SCs, and STs in the country’s power structure.
- The third demand is reservation in private educational institutions.
- The fourth is reservation in private sector jobs.
- And fifth, a radical idea proposed by some: wealth redistribution based on numbers.
These demands could have a direct impact on your life — no matter which caste you belong to. However, some experts have raised questions over the economic usefulness of this exercise. An editorial in The Times of India argues that this move could spark agitations for quotas. However, the opinion piece adds that pulling people out of economic backwardness requires investment, meaningful education, training, and good jobs for youth.
