Telangana’s Landmark Caste Census: A Historic Step Toward Social Justice
The Telangana government has successfully completed India’s largest post-independence caste survey, a significant milestone aimed at ensuring data-driven governance. Conducted over 50 days, this extensive socioeconomic survey covered 96.9% of the state’s population, revealing crucial insights into Telangana’s caste demographics. The findings will shape future policies on education, employment, and social welfare.
Caste Composition in Telangana: Detailed Breakdown
According to the Telangana caste survey, the state’s population is categorized as follows:
- Backward Classes (BCs): 1,64,09,179 (46.25%)
- Scheduled Castes (SCs): 61,84,319 (17.43%)
- Scheduled Tribes (STs): 37,05,929 (10.45%)
- Muslims (Total): 44,57,012 (12.56%)
- BC Muslims: 35,76,588 (10.08%)
- OC Muslims: 8,80,424 (2.48%)
- Other Open Category (OC) Communities: 44,21,115 (13.31%)
- Total OC Population: 15.79%
The survey covered 3,54,77,554 individuals out of Telangana’s total population of 3.7 crore, making it the most comprehensive caste census undertaken in independent India.
Survey Execution: A Massive Data Collection Effort
The Telangana government deployed a significant workforce to conduct the survey efficiently:
- 94,863 enumerators and 9,628 supervisors worked across 94,261 enumeration blocks.
- 76,000 data entry operators digitized the collected information within 36 days.
- Despite challenges, including 1.03 lakh locked houses and 1.68 lakh hesitant families, the survey achieved an impressive 96.9% coverage.
Government’s Vision: Data-Driven Policy Making
This caste census was a key electoral promise made by the Congress party in the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections. The findings will play a pivotal role in shaping policies aimed at providing equitable representation and enhancing welfare schemes for marginalized communities.
At a press conference in Hyderabad, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, alongside Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Health Minister Damodar Raju, emphasized that the collected data will help bridge socioeconomic gaps and ensure that benefits reach the rightful beneficiaries.
Comparisons with Other Caste Surveys in India
Telangana’s caste survey is being hailed as a benchmark for social justice and governance. While Bihar and Karnataka have conducted similar exercises, Telangana’s coverage surpasses them in terms of accuracy and efficiency. The Bihar caste census took six months and cost ₹500 crore, whereas Telangana completed its survey in just 50 days at a significantly lower cost.
Impact on Backward Classes and Reservation Policies
The caste survey has highlighted that Backward Classes (BCs) comprise 56.33% of Telangana’s population, including Hindus, Muslims, and Christian converts from Scheduled Castes. This data is expected to influence key policy changes, including:
- Increasing BC reservations in local bodies from 23% to 42%.
- Implementing 42% BC reservation in government civil construction contracts.
- Expanding welfare schemes for underprivileged communities.
Presentation to the Cabinet and Legislative Assembly
The caste census report, spanning 1,000 pages, will be formally presented to the Telangana Cabinet at 10:00 AM on February 4, 2024. A detailed discussion will follow in the Legislative Assembly at 11:00 AM, where a bill on the survey findings is expected to be passed.
Calls for a Nationwide Caste Census
With Telangana successfully executing this comprehensive caste survey, demands for a nationwide caste census have gained momentum. The last comprehensive caste-based enumeration in India dates back to 1931, and subsequent censuses (1951-2011) only included data for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
The Congress party and other opposition leaders are now urging the central government to include Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the upcoming 2025 national census. A caste-based census at the national level could provide crucial insights into India’s social structure and help formulate policies for historically marginalized communities.
Conclusion: A Step Towards Inclusive Development
The Telangana caste survey marks a historic step in data-driven governance. By meticulously gathering demographic insights, the state is paving the way for inclusive policies and equitable development. With the findings soon to be tabled in the Legislative Assembly, Telangana is setting a new standard for social justice in India.
The successful execution of this survey demonstrates the government’s commitment to fulfilling electoral promises and ensuring that marginalized communities receive their due share in education, employment, and welfare programs. As Telangana leads the way, other states may soon follow suit, driving a new era of policy-making based on real-time demographic data.