Congress Questions Caste Census Format, Alleging Government's 'Unclear Intentions'

Congress Expresses Deep Concern Over Caste Census Format

In a joint press conference held at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters, the Indian National Congress has voiced significant concerns regarding the current format of the caste census. Dr. Anil Jaidhind, Chairman of the All India Congress Committee's Backward Classes Department, stated that the census suffers from fundamental flaws, casting doubt on the intentions of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Congress is demanding a new, transparent nationwide caste census utilizing a certified list of castes (dropdown list), similar to the methods adopted in states like Telangana and Bihar. Dr. Jaidhind clarified that the current format includes 'open-ended' questions, rendering the caste census impractical.

'Open-Ended' Questions Criticized for Data Inaccuracies

Dr. Jaidhind explained that open-ended questions lack a pre-defined list, meaning enumerators record the caste or sub-caste as stated by the citizen verbatim. In a diverse country like India, where a single caste may have different names, sub-castes, and dialects across regions, this method would lead to the recording of millions of names, resulting in significant data discrepancies and rendering the entire process ineffective.

Impact on OBC Population and Reservation Principles

According to the Congress, the current format does not even include the term 'Backward Class,' hindering the accurate enumeration of Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) populations. The party believes that if a single caste is fragmented into multiple parts due to differing names and spellings, the actual numbers and deprivation of OBC-EBC communities could become invisible.

This would weaken the principle of 'equality of opportunity' based on population share and the basis for reservation review. Consequently, it would become difficult to identify which OBC-EBC castes are not benefiting from reservations, leaving the most deprived communities further behind.

Step-by-Step Flawed Process Highlighted

The press conference also revealed that in a meeting on June 1st, officials from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment expressed a willingness to share the list of OBC castes held by the National Commission for Backward Classes. However, the initial draft of the meeting minutes prepared by the Registrar General's office did not properly record this proposal, suggesting that no such list was available.

The Congress questioned why a dropdown list was not used if the list exists and under whose instructions it was omitted from the process. The party pointed out that there are approximately 4,200 castes in the country, and both central and state governments already have lists of these castes. Despite this, the government is not providing a dropdown list for the nationwide caste census, as it has been against such an enumeration from the outset.

Supreme Court Affidavit and Prime Minister's Letter

The Congress referred to the central government's affidavit in the Supreme Court on September 21, 2021, where the government itself acknowledged the necessity of preparing a dropdown list for the caste census.

Congress leader Dr. Jaidhind stated that the party has long been demanding a proper caste census, which has been pending since 2021. He mentioned the persistent raising of this issue by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, **Rahul Gandhi**, since 2023. Furthermore, Congress President **Mallikarjun Kharge** and **Rahul Gandhi** jointly wrote to Prime Minister **Narendra Modi** on August 20, expressing serious objections to the current caste census process.

**Kharge** had previously written his first letter on April 16, 2023, and a second on May 25, 2025, but the government had not responded. During the 2023 and 2024 elections, when Congress demanded a caste census, the Prime Minister described it as 'Urban Naxal thinking' in an interview. Following **Rahul Gandhi's** strong demand, the government had to perform a U-turn on April 30, 2025, announcing the caste census from 2027. However, despite the announcement, the Congress alleges that the government is not clarifying its intentions to implement the process transparently.

Warning of Nationwide Movement

Uttar Pradesh Congress In-charge **Shri Rajendra Pal Gautam**, a former minister, also questioned the central government's intentions on this issue. He stated that the application form for the current caste census includes sub-castes for Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Scheduled Caste (SC) categories, but there is no list of backward class sub-castes in the OBC section. This has left a large section of the country's population feeling cheated.

He warned that if the central government does not address these shortcomings, a nationwide movement will be launched in the future. The Congress has cautioned that the government still has time to improve the format, as the caste census has only begun in some areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, and is set to commence nationwide from February 2027.

The party clarified that the Congress will not back down from the fight for the rights of the backward, Dalit, and exploited communities, and the government will be compelled to conduct a correct caste census at all costs. Prominent leaders present at the press conference included Member of Parliament **Shri Rakesh Rathore**, Chairman of the Backward Classes Department **Shri Manoj Yadav**, Spokespersons Dr. Uma Shankar Pandey, Mrs. Priyanka Gupta, Mrs. Rafat Fatima, Shri Sachin Rawat, and Shri Alimulla Khan.