Modi govt greenlights caste enumeration in next census
Extract
from the article:
The Modi government has recently approved the inclusion of caste enumeration in
the upcoming national census, marking the first time since 1931 that such data
will be officially collected. This decision revives a highly sensitive and
politically charged subject in India’s democratic process. The caste census,
while ostensibly a statistical exercise, has deep implications for social
equity, political representation, and resource allocation. It reflects an
attempt to crystalize India’s complex social fabric through official data,
which has long been absent from modern policy-making due to the stoppage of
caste enumeration after 1931.
The approval has triggered a multitude of reactions.
Supporters argue that a caste census is imperative to understand the
contemporary social and economic disparities rooted in caste hierarchies,
thereby better enabling affirmative action and welfare schemes. Detractors,
however, accuse the government of wielding caste enumeration as a political
instrument designed to consolidate vote banks and deepen societal divisions.
The government has maintained that the census will be conducted in a timely
manner, with plans yet to be finalized, but the announcement itself signals a
major shift in India’s approach to data collection and political calculus.
My
Take:
A. 2021-22
Budget Blues : Digital Census
Reflecting on my earlier thoughts about the Indian census, I wrote years ago
about the government’s plans to digitize the nationwide enumeration process, a
monumental shift from the era of millions manually entering data on paper. That
digital transformation—back then seen as futuristic—has now become the backbone
to conducting a more robust and possibly more granular census. I had noted the
huge cost implications and the innovative use of mobile apps to ensure data
integrity, and it’s exciting to realize that this infrastructural foundation is
precisely what will allow for such intricate data as caste information to be
captured effectively in today’s census.
Looking back, it is clear that digitization is not merely a
technological upgrade but a necessary enabler for complex social realities to
be quantified. The announcement about caste enumeration wouldn't have been
feasible or credible without such a digital backbone. I feel vindicated in my
earlier predictions that the 2021 census would be a watershed moment in India’s
use of data for governance. The saga reiterates how technology can be harnessed
to tackle deep-rooted societal challenges, even if the political ramifications
are inevitable and require careful navigation.
B. THANK
YOU SHRI AMITBHAI SHAH FOR CENSUS USING MOBILE APP : MY 4 YEAR OLD DREAM COME
TRUE
Years ago, I expressed gratitude and optimism for the introduction of an
electronic census system that integrates birth, death, and electoral roll data,
a concept that felt revolutionary back then. The system I envisioned would
usher in a new era of seamless citizen data management, offering more precise
socio-economic parameters for governance. Today’s discussion around caste
enumeration feels like the natural evolution of that vision—leveraging
interconnected data systems to capture one of India’s most intricate social
dimensions.
The possibility that data collected via sophisticated mobile
apps and linked databases could better inform not just welfare policies but
political representation is transformative. However, the intersection of caste
data with political maneuvering, as highlighted in the article, raises flags
about data usage. I remain hopeful that such integrated, digitized census
efforts will uphold transparency and focus on inclusivity rather than becoming
tools for electoral engineering. It underscores my long-standing belief that
data’s power depends on ethical stewardship and public accountability.
Call
to Action:
To the Honourable Census Commissioner and the Ministry of Home Affairs: As the
government embarks on this historic caste enumeration after nearly a century, I
urge the authorities to establish stringent data protection and transparency
frameworks. It is imperative to ensure that the caste data collected serves to
uplift marginalized communities through policy reforms and not to entrench
divisive politics. Furthermore, involving sociologists, data scientists, and
civil society organizations in designing the methodology will help maintain
credibility and public trust. Let this census become a tool of empowerment and
social justice, reflecting India’s commitment to pluralism and equality.
With regards,
Hemen Parekh
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