{"id":363397,"date":"2026-05-22T21:41:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T16:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=363397"},"modified":"2026-05-22T21:41:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T16:11:19","slug":"caste-away-on-the-court-and-caste-count","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/caste-away-on-the-court-and-caste-count\/","title":{"rendered":"Caste away: On the Court and caste count"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPSC Syllabus: Gs Paper 2- <\/strong>Polity and governance<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Supreme Court refused to stop caste enumeration in Census 2027 and called it a policy matter of the government. The decision revived the wider debate on caste, welfare, representation and the long-standing contradiction in India\u2019s approach towards caste. While the state wants a casteless society, many welfare and reservation policies still depend on caste identity. The coming Census will also become India\u2019s first full caste enumeration exercise since 1931<\/strong> and the first fully digital Census.<\/p>\n

Historical Background of Caste Enumeration<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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  1. Colonial-Era Caste Counting: <\/strong>India last conducted a full caste census in 1931. After Independence, Census exercises recorded only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, not all caste groups.<\/li>\n
  2. Post-Independence Policy Approach: <\/strong>Early governments believed that counting castes would strengthen caste identities. The larger goal was to gradually create a casteless society.<\/li>\n
  3. Contradiction in State Policy: <\/strong>The government avoided full caste enumeration but still used caste for reservations, legislative representation and public employment. This created a continuing policy paradox.<\/li>\n
  4. Changing Political Positions: <\/strong>The recent government approved caste enumeration in April 2025 despite earlier criticism of the idea. The opposition also changed its earlier position and began demanding a caste census.<\/li>\n
  5. Debate within Society and Politics: <\/strong>Some organisations had warned that caste surveys could divide Hindu society. At the same time, supporters argued that accurate caste data is needed for welfare and representation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Importance of Caste Census<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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    1. Supreme Court\u2019<\/strong>s Position: <\/strong>The Court said the issue falls within the government\u2019s policy domain. The Chief Justice stated that governments must know how many people are backward and need welfare support.<\/li>\n
    2. Welfare and Representation Needs: <\/strong>A large part of India\u2019s welfare system is linked to caste profiles. Supporters believe updated caste data can help identify backward groups more accurately and improve policies related to welfare, jobs, education and representation.<\/li>\n
    3. Impact of Census Delay: <\/strong>The decennial Census was originally due in 2021 but got delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical problems. This delay affected planning and policymaking.<\/li>\n
    4. New Nature of Census 2027:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n