Indian Government Considers Recording Caste in Upcoming Census | Vantage with Palki Sharma
Summary
TLDRThe 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 Some parties argue that the current caste data is outdated and quotas should be expanded beyond 50%.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
📰 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.
📊 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Caste Census
💡Quota System
💡OBC (Other Backward Classes)
💡Bihar Caste Census
💡Social Justice
💡BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)
💡RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)
💡Political Angle
💡Scheduled Castes (SC)
💡Lateral Entry
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
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