The Central government on Wednesday announced that the upcoming population census will also include caste enumeration, marking a significant policy shift on a politically sensitive subject.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Following the meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw addressed the media and stated, &ldquo;CCPA has decided today that caste enumeration would be included in the forthcoming census.&rdquo;
This development is expected to have far-reaching political and social implications, particularly as the caste census has been a prominent demand of the Congress-led INDIA bloc and has resonated strongly with large sections of the population.
Political observers suggest that the move could recalibrate existing social dynamics and influence public sentiment significantly. The government had previously refrained from conducting such an exercise, citing the potential for deepening divisions within society.
However, opposition parties including Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have persistently advocated for a caste census, arguing that equitable representation in government structures should reflect the demographic makeup of the population.
The announcement comes as a strategic intervention by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, potentially neutralising a key political narrative of the Congress and its allies. With Assembly elections scheduled in Bihar later this year, a state where caste plays a pivotal role in electoral outcomes, the timing of the decision is seen as particularly consequential.
Political parties across the spectrum in Bihar&mdash;including the Congress, RJD, and the ruling Janata Dal (United)&mdash;base their electoral strategies on caste alignments, underscoring the importance of such a census in the state&rsquo;s political calculus.
By integrating the caste count with the national census, the Centre is positioning itself to reinforce its commitment to social justice under Prime Minister Modi&rsquo;s leadership, while simultaneously challenging the opposition&rsquo;s stance by framing their advocacy as politically motivated.
(With inputs from IANS)
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The Centre will include caste enumeration in the upcoming population census following a key Cabinet Committee decision

Centre Approves Caste Survey with Population Census

The Centre will include caste enumeration in the upcoming population census following a key Cabinet Committee decision

April 30, 2025 | 19:11 IST