Cabinet Approves Inclusion of Caste Census in National Population Survey
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Key Event | Union Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs approved inclusion of caste census in the national population census. |
| Announced By | Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw |
| Purpose | To ensure transparent and systematic enumeration at the national level. |
| Conduct | Caste census to be part of the next national census, not a separate survey. |
| State Precedents | - Bihar: First state to conduct caste census in 2023. <br> - Karnataka: Conducted state-level caste survey in 2023-24, faced backlash. |
| Historical Context | - Last full national census: 2011. <br> - 2021 Census: Postponed due to COVID-19. <br> - Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC): Conducted in 2011, caste data not released. <br> - British India's last caste enumeration: 1931. |
| Political Context | Congress, INDIA bloc, and regional parties have long demanded caste census. Karnataka survey faced criticism from Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities. |