Experts Question Caste Census with an Escape Clause?
No "Dedicated" column for OBCs like SCs/STs
Harish Gupta
Population experts are baffled by the government's notification where citizens will be answering 33 questions during the first phase of the Census, starting April 1. The enumerators will ask whether the head of the household belongs to the Scheduled Caste, the Scheduled Tribe or other communities.
Experts say that individuals have been given the option to disclose their caste or category rather than giving OBCs (Other Backward Classes) a "dedicated column" as in the case of Scs and Sts. Of course, an individual can certainly mention his caste in the “Third column”. But this column is for all castes including the Upper, OBC or others.
Enumerators will certainly mention the caste as told to them by the individuals. But there is no specific instruction/column for OBCs. Experts point out that in the absence of this provision, counting OBCs from the third column will be an impossible task.
The puzzle is sharper because the government has, after much delay, agreed to conduct India’s first caste-based census since 1931. The move came after sustained pressure from OBC groups, who argue that they constitute over 52 per cent of the population and therefore deserve a proportionate share in state resources and welfare benefits.
When contacted, the government sources declined to comment but informally agreed that there is no consolidation for OBCs column, unlike the consolidation that continues for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
For the first time, the Census will also allow self-enumeration through digital means, with specific codes provided for non-disclosure. The critics warn that built-in escape routes could undermine the very objective of the exercise.
Ever since OBCs were granted reservations in jobs and educational institutions in the 1990s, there has been a persistent demand for a nationwide caste census. Some states, including Bihar and Haryana, attempted caste surveys, but most failed to reach logical conclusions due to political and administrative hurdles.
