Indian Government Considers Recording Caste in Upcoming Census | Vantage with Palki Sharma

Summary

The video discusses the possibility of adding a caste column to India's upcoming census, which was delayed due to the pandemic. The last caste census was in 1931, and reviving it now in 2024 is being debated. Advocates argue it could address caste-based inequality, while critics fear it may perpetuate divisions. Political motivations are evident, with some parties pushing for updated caste data to increase quotas beyond the 50% cap for marginalized groups. However, the effectiveness of such measures is questioned, as quotas alone haven't resolved deep-rooted issues of representation in jobs and education.

Takeaways

• 📅 The last caste census in India was conducted in 1931. The upcoming 2024 census may include caste data for the first time since then.
• 🗳️ The 2021 census was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is now a debate about including caste as a category in the new census.
• ❓ The decision to include caste in the census is still pending. If implemented, it would document the caste of every Indian, including general, Scheduled Castes (SC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
• 📊 The 1931 census found that 52% of India’s population belonged to OBCs. This data was never updated or published in subsequent censuses.
• ⚖️ There are two perspectives: one argues that a caste census perpetuates divisions, while the other claims it's essential to address social issues with accurate data.
• 👥 Caste politics play a significant role in India. Political parties often appeal to voters based on caste. Rahul Gandhi has promised to conduct a caste census if elected, and his party gained traction in recent elections.
• 🎓 India has caste-based reservations in education and jobs, capped at 50%. Some parties argue that the current caste data is outdated and quotas should be expanded beyond 50%.
• 📈 Bihar conducted its own caste survey in 2023, finding that 84% of its population belongs to marginalized castes, prompting political gains for local leaders.
• 🔍 The ruling BJP and its ideological parent, RSS, have been cautious about supporting or opposing the caste census, indicating the sensitivity and complexity of the issue.
• 🏛️ Legal challenges arise when states attempt to increase quotas beyond 50%. For example, Bihar's increased quotas were struck down by the state's High Court, and the issue remains in legal limbo.

Q & A

What is the purpose of a caste census in India?

A caste census records the caste of every Indian, including categories like General, Scheduled Castes (SC), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST). The purpose is to gather data on caste demographics to address social inequality and political representation.

When was the last caste census conducted in India?

The last caste census was conducted in 1931, making it nearly a century since caste data was last collected on a national scale.

Why is there renewed interest in conducting a caste census in 2024?

There is renewed interest due to political and social justice reasons. Politically, caste still influences voting patterns, and the Congress party has promised a caste census if they come to power. Socially, it is argued that accurate data on caste distribution is necessary to address historical inequalities, especially for marginalized communities.

What are the two schools of thought regarding the caste census?

One school of thought argues that a caste census will perpetuate social divisions. The other argues that problems related to caste inequality cannot be addressed without proper measurement of caste demographics.

What were the findings of the last caste census in 1931?

The 1931 caste census found that 52% of India's population belonged to the Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Why is the state of Bihar significant in the discussion of the caste census?

Bihar conducted its own caste census in 2023, which found that 84% of its population belonged to marginalized castes. This data helped Bihar’s chief minister politically and has reignited discussions about increasing quotas beyond the current 50% cap.

What are the legal challenges associated with increasing quotas based on caste census data?

Although Bihar attempted to increase quotas from 50% to 65% after its caste census, the state’s High Court struck it down, citing the legal limit of 50%. The issue is still under judicial review.

How does the current quota system work in India?

In India, 50% of government jobs and seats in educational institutions are reserved for marginalized groups, with 15% reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes (ST).

What are the issues with filling reserved seats in government jobs and universities?

Despite quotas, many reserved seats for Scheduled Castes and Tribes remain unfilled. For instance, in Grade A government jobs, only 13% of the positions are filled by SC candidates and 5% by ST candidates. In central universities, only 11% of the teaching staff are SC, and 5% are ST.

What are the limitations of relying solely on quotas to address caste inequality?

While quotas can increase representation, they do not solve deeper problems like access to education and social integration. Without investment in these areas, quotas alone are insufficient to uplift marginalized castes.

Outlines

00:00

📰 The Caste Census Debate in India

The Indian government is considering whether to include caste data in the upcoming census, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A caste census would record the caste of every Indian, revisiting a practice last conducted in 1931. This has sparked debates, with one side arguing that caste divisions could be perpetuated, while the other claims that solving social inequalities requires knowing the exact data. Although the government has not made a final decision, the very consideration of this move is significant.

05:01

📊 What a Caste Census Could Reveal

A caste census could unveil the current demographic distribution of castes across India. The last data from 1931 showed that 52% of India’s population were categorized as Other Backward Classes (OBC). Today, the political climate and demands for accurate caste numbers suggest that a caste census could play a key role in shaping social justice policies, including caste-based reservations in jobs and education.

🎭 The Political Landscape of Caste

Caste politics remains a dominant force in India, influencing voting patterns and political strategies. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has pushed for a caste census, promising to implement it if his party comes to power. This strategy has resonated with voters, as seen in recent elections where the Congress party doubled its seats. Caste numbers, particularly among backward classes, could become a major tool for political parties to rally support and shape policies.

⚖️ Social Justice and Caste-Based Quotas

Backward castes, though making up the majority of India’s population, remain underrepresented in power. To address this, India has quotas in colleges and jobs, capped at 50%. However, political parties are pushing for adjustments, arguing that the actual numbers may justify higher quotas. For example, Bihar’s 2023 caste data revealed that 84% of its population belongs to marginalized castes, sparking debates over raising the 50% reservation limit.

🔄 The Role of Bihar and Recent Political Moves

Bihar's caste census showed that 84% of its population belonged to marginalized castes, influencing political strategies and increasing quotas to 65%. However, this exceeded the 50% legal cap, leading to legal challenges. The state's move has also positioned Bihar’s chief minister, Nitish Kumar, as a key player in national politics, making caste data crucial for political alignments and strategies.

🤐 BJP’s Silence on the Caste Census

The ruling party, BJP, has remained mostly silent on the caste census issue. While its ideological parent, RSS, supports a caste census for social justice, they caution against using it for political gains. Recently, the government reversed a decision on lateral entry in government jobs without applying quotas, showcasing how sensitive the issue of caste and quotas remains in India’s political discourse.

📉 Legal and Practical Limits to Caste-Based Quotas

Although states like Bihar have pushed for increased quotas following caste census data, such measures often face legal hurdles. India's legal framework caps quotas at 50%, and even when raised, these quotas do not always get filled. In higher government jobs, and universities, positions reserved for marginalized castes remain underfilled, reflecting deeper structural challenges in addressing caste-based inequalities.

📚 Beyond Quotas: The Need for Social Investment

Caste-based quotas, while offering political wins, do not fully address the underlying social issues. To truly uplift backward castes, India must invest in education and integration. Without these efforts, caste-based politics risks becoming a mere spectacle, with quotas alone unable to solve the deep-rooted problems of caste inequality.

Keywords

💡Caste Census

A caste census is a survey that records the caste composition of a country's population. In the video, it refers to a potential exercise in India to document the castes of all citizens, including those categorized as General, Scheduled Castes (SC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). The video highlights that the last caste census was done in 1931, and the debate over its revival relates to political, social, and economic concerns about representation and resource distribution.

💡Quota System

The quota system in India reserves a certain percentage of seats in government jobs and educational institutions for historically marginalized groups, such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). The video explains that the legal cap on quotas is set at 50%, but some argue that the outdated caste data may justify increasing the quota to reflect modern demographics.

💡OBC (Other Backward Classes)

OBC stands for Other Backward Classes, which represent a large section of India's population that has been historically marginalized. In the video, it is mentioned that the 1931 caste census found that 52% of India's population belonged to OBCs, and more recent data, such as Bihar's caste census, shows that this group still makes up the majority. This demographic plays a critical role in the debate over social justice and quotas.

💡Bihar Caste Census

In 2023, the state of Bihar conducted a caste census, which found that 84% of its population belonged to marginalized castes. This statistic became a major political tool, helping the state's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar gain political influence. The results of Bihar's caste census are cited in the video as an example of how caste data can be used to argue for increased quotas and social reforms.

💡Social Justice

Social justice refers to the idea of creating a fair and equal society by addressing historical inequalities, especially related to caste in India. In the video, social justice is one of the main arguments used by proponents of the caste census and expanding quotas. They argue that without accurate caste data, it is difficult to address inequalities in representation and access to resources.

💡BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is India's ruling political party, and the video discusses its stance on the caste census. The BJP has remained mostly silent on the issue, neither supporting nor opposing the exercise. However, the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), the ideological parent of the BJP, has voiced support for a caste census, provided it is not used for political purposes.

💡RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)

The RSS is a right-wing, Hindu nationalist organization that serves as the ideological parent of the BJP. In the video, the RSS's position on the caste census is mentioned, with the organization expressing support for it as long as it is not used for political gain. This reflects the complex relationship between caste data and politics in India.

💡Political Angle

The 'political angle' refers to how the caste census and quota debates are influenced by party politics in India. The video mentions that caste continues to play a significant role in elections, with political parties like Congress and the BJP considering the census to gain electoral advantages. For instance, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has promised a caste census if his party wins power, and the results from Bihar's caste census have helped politicians like Nitish Kumar.

💡Scheduled Castes (SC)

Scheduled Castes (SC) are communities in India that have historically faced social discrimination and exclusion. They are entitled to a fixed percentage of reserved seats in education and government jobs through the quota system. The video discusses the challenges faced by SCs in filling these reserved positions, especially in higher government jobs and university faculty roles, showing the limits of quotas in achieving true social equity.

💡Lateral Entry

Lateral entry refers to the practice of hiring non-bureaucrats, such as corporate executives or researchers, for key government positions. In the video, it is mentioned that the Indian government proposed lateral entries to certain jobs without applying quotas, leading to backlash from various political allies, including those within the ruling BJP. The move was quickly reversed, showing the sensitivity of caste-based reservations in Indian governance.

Highlights

The 2021 census in India was delayed due to the Wuhan virus pandemic, and there is now discussion about including caste data.

The last caste census in India was conducted in 1931, which found 52% of the population was OBC.

There are two opposing views on caste census: one argues it could perpetuate divisions, while the other argues that problems cannot be solved without measuring them.

Caste politics is still prevalent in India, and political parties capitalize on caste dynamics for electoral gains.

Rahul Gandhi has promised a caste census if he comes to power, and this strategy appears to be gaining traction, as his party doubled its seats in a recent election.

Backward castes make up a majority of India’s population but remain underrepresented in positions of power, driving demands for updated caste data.

India’s reservation system is capped at 50%, but some parties argue that caste data should lead to quotas exceeding this limit for greater social justice.

In 2023, Bihar published caste data, revealing that 84% of its population belongs to marginalized castes.

After Bihar’s caste census, the state increased its quotas from 50% to 65%, but this was struck down by the High Court due to the legal 50% cap.

The ruling BJP has mostly remained silent on the caste census issue, though the RSS has backed the idea, provided it is not used for political purposes.

The government of India attempted to introduce lateral entry into key government positions, but the lack of quotas for these entries sparked backlash, leading to a quick reversal.

Despite existing quotas, reserved seats for scheduled castes and tribes in government jobs are not being fully filled, indicating deeper structural issues.

In Grade A government jobs, only 13% are filled by scheduled castes and 5% by scheduled tribes, highlighting a gap in social representation.

Central university jobs show a similar pattern, with only 11% of teaching staff from scheduled castes and 5% from scheduled tribes.

The solution to caste-based inequality may require investments in education and social integration, not just expanding quotas.

Transcripts

staying with India the cast census is

back in news as you know the census is a

decadal exercise it was last conducted

in the year 2011 the 2021 census was

delayed by the Wuhan virus pandemic but

now plans are being drawn up and this

time there is a big question should a

column on cast be added normally a

census looks at things like Age religion

gender and domicile but this time your

cast may also be recorded Reports say

the government is yet to take a call a

final call on this they may or may not

go ahead with it but the fact that

they're considering it is significant

now I know you have questions let's look

at the three most important ones here

what is a cast census what is being

considered why is it being considered a

cast census and will it help to have a

cast census in India a cast Census

records the cast of Every Indian whether

it's general or scheduled cast or other

back word classes the last such census

was done in the year

1931 and what did it find 52% of India's

population was

OBC even back then two schools of

thought existed one said a car census

would perpetuate divisions the other

said how can you solve a problem without

measuring it after 1931 no cast data was

published in India so why is there talk

of Reviving it now in 2024 four well

there's a political angle and a

political answer and a non-political

answer cast politics is rampant in India

a lot of people still vote based on the

cast of a candidate so parties try to

capitalize on it Congress leader Rahul

Gandhi is leading this push he has

promised a cast census if he comes to

power and it's clearly working because

his party doubled its seats in this

election so the idea has traction which

brings us to the nonpol iCal answer to

this question backward casts have been

historically oppressed in India they

make up a majority of the population but

only a minority in the corridors of

power to balance this India has quotas

in colleges and jobs these quotas are

set at 50% that's the cap 50% quota so

half the seats for jobs are are reserved

also half the seats in colleges not more

than half but some parties want to tweak

it they say India's cast numbers are

outdated and the actual numbers may

require OTAs Beyond

50% so their argument is social justice

now the state of Bihar published cast

data in 2023 it found that 84% of its

population belong to marginalized casts

84% only 15% belonged to dominant casts

again it helped them politically bihar's

chief minister nitish Kumar won the most

Lowa seats from the state he's now a key

Coalition partner at the center in the

NDA government and where does the BJP

feature in all of this that's the ruling

party at the center they have mostly

been silent on the cast census the party

has neither supported nor rejected it

but recently we've noticed some changes

for starters the RSS has backed the idea

the RSS is the ideological parent of the

BJP they say a cast census is fine but

don't use it for politics secondly the

government appears extra sensitive on

cast and quotas consider what happened

last month the government pushed lateral

entry to key positions basically they

wanted to hire non-b bureaucrats to

government jobs like corporate honchos

or researchers just one problem though

quotas did not apply to lateral hiring

immediately there was a backlash even

the bjp's Allies opposed such lateral

entries and within hours the move was

reversed the government said Prime

Minister Modi had personally

intervened it tells you how sensitive

the issue is maybe that's why the

government is considering a cast census

to capitalize on the action the question

is do such exercises even work do they

help let's go back to the example of

Bihar after the cast census Bihar

increased quotas from 50% to 65% but

like I said the legal limit is 50% so

the state's High Court struck down the

new quotas last we checked the matter is

still in

court you see announcing quotas is easy

it's the shortcut to social justice but

look at the end result in government

jobs 15% is result reserve for scheduled

casts and 7 and 1 half% for scheduled

tribes but these quotas are not being

filled up consider grade A government

jobs the higher well-paying ones that's

grade A only 13% 13 are scheduled cast

and 5% are scheduled tribes same in

Central University jobs only 11% of the

teaching staff is SC and 5% is

STD among professors it's even less only

7% SC and 2% St do you see the problem

here backward are being are not being

able to fill up the reserved

seats so we need to go beyond quotas

they may win new

seats but they alone will not solve the

problems you need to invest in the

education of backward casts in their

social integration if not this will

remain a political

spectacle for