Why in the News
The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha have written to the Prime Minister demanding that the questionnaire prepared for the caste census be scrapped. They have asked that a new questionnaire be prepared to ensure accurate enumeration of castes.
What is being contested about the questionnaire’s design?
- The objection targets an open-ended format: The two leaders object to an open-ended format proposed for recording caste details, arguing it could allow the same caste to be recorded under different names, sub-castes, and linguistic variants, undermining accurate counts.
- They demand consultation before the survey form is finalised: The letter asks the government to formulate a new survey form only after consulting political parties, experts, and the public, rather than proceeding with the existing draft.
- The stated purpose is enumeration accuracy, not the census itself: The objection is to the questionnaire’s design, not to the decision to conduct a caste census, and the leaders frame the current format as an obstacle to the caste enumeration’s own stated purpose of social justice.
Constitutional & Legal Angle
- Article 15: Prohibits discrimination on grounds including caste and enables special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes.
- Article 16(4): Enables reservation in public employment for backward classes that are not adequately represented.
- Article 46: Directs the State to promote the educational and economic interests of weaker sections, particularly SCs and STs.
- Article 340: Provides for a Commission to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes.
- Article 17: Abolishes untouchability, making caste-related discrimination a key constitutional concern.
- Privacy dimension: Caste is sensitive personal information, so enumeration also requires safeguards against misuse and unauthorised disclosure. UPSC has repeatedly tested the Right to Privacy under Article 21.
Why Accurate Caste Data Matters
- Reliable data → identify deprivation → better targeting of welfare → evidence-based reservation policy → social justice
- Poor classification can lead to:
- Under-counting of communities
- Over-counting due to duplicate names
- Difficulty comparing data across regions and time
- Distorted assessment of representation and deprivation
“[2009] Which one among the following South Asian countries has the highest population density ?
(a) India
(b) Nepal
(c) Pakistan
(d) Sri Lanka
