NEW DELHI: In a significant policy decision, the Government of India announced on Wednesday (April 30) that caste enumeration would be incorporated into the forthcoming National Census in a “transparent” manner.
The announcement was accompanied by strong criticism of opposition parties, accusing them of exploiting the caste survey for political gain.
The Indian National Congress and several other opposition parties have been vocally advocating for a nationwide caste-based census, positioning it as a key electoral issue.
In response to these demands, certain states—including Bihar, Telangana, and Karnataka—have already undertaken their own caste surveys.
This decision by the central government comes in the lead-up to assembly elections in Bihar, where multiple political parties, including some allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have publicly expressed support for the inclusion of caste data in the census.
