Thu Jun 12 03:00:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the article and a rewritten version as a news article:
**Summary:**
The article discusses the Indian government’s decision to conduct a caste-based census, emphasizing its potential as a tool for “social management” to address systemic inequalities. It cites data from caste surveys in Bihar and Telangana showing significant disparities in representation and economic well-being among different caste groups. The authors argue that the lack of reliable caste data hinders effective policymaking and that a national census could inform targeted interventions, diversity audits, and equitable resource allocation. While acknowledging concerns about deepening social divisions, they contend that ignoring caste perpetuates inequality. They draw parallels with data collection practices in other democracies and highlight the potential for a caste census to promote democratic accountability and social emancipation.
**News Article:**
**India to Conduct Caste Census: Aims for Data-Driven Approach to Social Justice**
**NEW DELHI (June 12, 2025)** – The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Modi, has announced plans to conduct a comprehensive caste-based census during the upcoming national census. The decision, made by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, signals a potential shift towards a “social management” approach to governance, leveraging data to address deep-seated inequalities.
The move comes amid growing calls for better data on caste demographics to inform policy and ensure equitable distribution of resources. Recent caste surveys in states like Bihar and Telangana have highlighted the significant representation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the population, coupled with stark disparities in education, employment, and economic well-being. For example, a 2023 Bihar survey revealed that OBCs and Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) constitute over 63% of the state’s population.
“The absence of reliable caste data has hindered effective policymaking for decades,” said a government spokesperson. “The 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) suffered from data inconsistencies, leaving a void in our understanding of social realities. This census aims to rectify that.”
The government envisions using the caste census data to inform targeted interventions, enabling disaggregated budgeting for healthcare, infrastructure, and education. It could also facilitate diversity audits in institutions and track the reach of welfare schemes to marginalized communities.
While the decision has sparked debate, with some raising concerns about deepening social divisions, proponents argue that ignoring caste perpetuates inequality. They point to data collection practices in other democracies, such as the United States, South Africa, and Brazil, which use race and ethnicity data to address civil rights and inequity.
“A caste census does not create casteism; it reveals it,” stated Prof. Sony Kunjappan, Head of the Department of Studies in Social Management, Central University of Gujarat. “This census is not about counting caste; it is about recognizing injustice and correcting it.”
The government hopes the census will empower citizens to demand transparency and accountability, ensuring that public resources are distributed equitably and that the most marginalized communities are not left behind. The initiative is seen as a crucial step towards a data-driven democratic transformation that could reshape India’s approach to social justice and development.
First Piper 