OBC groups oppose caste enumeration method in Census 2027

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Members of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community opposed the ‘method’ of caste enumeration in the upcoming census exercise and demanded that it be scientific, accurate, and transparent.

At an event organised by the All India OBC Students’ Association (AIOBCSA), Rajya Sabha member P. Wilson said that a consultative system should be followed. “Talks with State governments, subject experts, sociologists, caste researchers and community organisations should be held so that that every OBC caste and community is properly identified and recorded. Inaccurate caste data will have serious consequences on social justice and constitutional rights,” he said.

Speakers demanded a halt on Census 2027 till the time unique caste codes are finalised.

They warned that caste enumeration without a clear and standardised coding mechanism would undermine the very purpose of collecting caste data. The Census Question 10 (C) says: “If not SC/ST in this State/UT-Enter Caste name.” There are two other options besides the caste field: “Does not want to declare Caste” and “No Caste.” The data fields are marked ‘mandatory’.

This open field methodology is being questioned by the OBC community as the number of castes will increase because of the understanding of the citizens. A similar open field question in the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) returned over 46 lakh different “caste names”.

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