Caste Census: Effect On Indian Society And Its Constitutionality

Avanish Kumar, Research Scholar, Faculty of Law, University of Lucknow, Lucknow

ABSTRACT

The demand of “Caste Census”, aiming to find out the numbers of people of each caste, has accelerated a heated debate and discussion in present Indian politics, after the publication of report of caste survey in Bihar. The historical context of caste census traces back to the India’s Pre-Independence, which was introduced under the British colonial administration in 1881, and was continued till the year 1931 census. Further caste-based data was gathered in 1941, but was not released. However, after independence Indian government abandoned thorough caste enumeration thinking that it would exacerbate caste differences and pro-long the caste system in the Indian society. In every census, since 1951, the demand of caste census has come up in the political discourse, but this demand got its boost from the year 1979, as Janta party government constituted the Mandal Commission or we can say the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC), to identify the socially and educationally backward classes of India, in order to ensure reservation for these classes. Presently it has gained a remarkable demand by maximum political parties on the ground of inadequate representation of the backward classes in jobs, admissions in educational institutions, etc. This Article aims to provide a thorough analysis of the caste census in relation to India. It explores the reasons for and against its implementation, looks at its historical roots, examines the constitutional and legal aspects, judicial approaches towards this, talks about the difficulties and opportunities related to implementing it. Current events and current discussions, issues relating to the caste census are also discussed, providing a fair assessment of this complex matter.

Keywords: Caste Census, Equality, Fundamental Rights, Reservation, Constitution.