A recent critique has raised alarms about a proposed caste census in India, arguing it risks diverting the nation from development and undermining the Constitution’s foundational values. The claim suggests that such a census would entrench caste divisions, reinforcing their salience in society. However, this perspective is misguided. Far from being a threat, a caste census is a vital tool for advancing India’s development and upholding the Constitution’s commitment to equality and social justice. Aligning with Constitutional Mandates India’s Constitution is a transformative document, explicitly designed to address historical injustices and promote equality. Articles 15, 16, and 46 mandate affirmative action to uplift marginalized groups, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. These provisions recognize that caste has historically shaped access to resources, opportunities, and dignity. However, effective implementation of these constitutional guaran...
The Politics of Caste Enumeration in India: Opportunities, Deflections, and Historical Patterns Introduction: The Promise and Peril of Census 2027 Sociologist Trina Vithayathil, author of Counting Caste (Cambridge University Press, published online April 30, 2025), argues that India’s Census 2027 presents a unique opportunity to map the intersections of caste, gender, and religion. However, without institutional accountability and transparency, the census risks perpetuating historical patterns of bureaucratic deflection—strategies used by the state to suppress meaningful caste data and analysis. Historically, successive Indian governments have promised caste enumeration only to backtrack, raising the question: Will Census 2027 be a genuine step toward caste equity, or another deflection? The Bihar Caste Survey: A Case Study in Decentralization In October 2023, the Government of Bihar published preliminary findings from its first statewide caste survey, followed by a full report in Nov...