Essay
Do we need a Caste Based Census.
* why do we need census; historical background;
* significance of 1931 census;
* why do we need to talk about caste census;
* its benefits and negative impacts;
* clear statement either to favour or not the caste census
# Some Titbits:
I. Definition
• A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.
• The United Nations defines the essential features of population and housing censuses as "individual enumeration, universality within a defined territory, simultaneity and defined periodicity", and recommends that population censuses be taken at least every 10 years.
II. Why do we need Census
• The public services like health, education, transport etc need to be planned in such a way to keep pace with the fast changing patterns of modern life.
• For the systematic planning, the accurate information on the number of people, their housing and needs should be gathered. So, the government have the system of census for every 10 years.
III. Historical Background of Census:
• The Indian Census has a rich tradition and enjoys the reputation of being one of the best in the world.
• The first Census in India was conducted in the year 1872. This was conducted at different points of time in different parts of the country.
• In 1881 a Census was taken for the entire country simultaneously.
• Since then, Census has been conducted every ten years, without a break.
• India has been conducting the national census since 1872 and ugh is its 15th.
IV. Caste Based Census:
• A caste census was carried out last in 1931 by the former British rulers.
• Before independence until 1931, caste- based census was a common practice in the country but after independence the then Home Minister Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel opposed caste-based census and said that in our secular and independent country old caste-based census won’t be continued any further.
• Exceptions were made in the case of SCs, STs and religious minorities to enable census authorities to collect information about their exact population.
• With the Supreme Court once again reminding the political class about the need to respect the 50% ceiling on reservations and resurrecting the creamy layer controversy, the Centre is now likely to come under pressure to take recourse to a caste-based census to settle the issue once and for all.
• In the absence of any specific data on the exact population of various non-SC/ST/minorities categories, agencies have either extrapolated the 1931 census data (as was done by the Mandal Commission) to make out rough estimates of the exact numbers of OBCs and the upper castes, or relied upon information gathered by extra-governmental bodies (such as research organisations) to arrive at the exact population of various caste groups.
• The Mandal Commission, which concluded that OBCs comprised some 52% of the country’s total population and used the figure to recommend 27% reservation for this category in government jobs and educational institutions, now finds its numbers being challenged by the agencies.
V. Pros and Cons of Caste Based Census:
• The recent approval by the Government of India for caste based census has aroused concerns among political parties as well as social scientists and ethnographers.
• For the self-proclaimed ‘modernists’, such regressive measures are likely to heighten caste consciousness among Indians.
• While the pragmatists argue that data on caste can help the government to better target affirmative action policies and thereby address caste differences rationally.
• The fact however is the that caste as a social reality in India draws succour from multiple sources which will remain untouched by either the proposed census or the resultant official policies.
• Caste issues influence everyday life of Indians in countless ways.
• The generalized objective, presumably, is to revitalize welfare schemes for backward castes (SC/ST/OBC) with help of exact caste classification. This objective—if really being strongly motivated and highly spirited—seems to be noble, accepted. But, equally noble is a moral duty of Indian government to work in direction of elimination of the deep-rooted casteism which not only classifies the castes under various categories and subcategories but also rigidly establishes social notions of superiority and inferiority among them; upper and lower castes are two extremities.
• Currently, our government only classifies people under General and SC/ST groups while collecting census information. From now on, OBC will also be added. Meaning, the officials will have to collect and analyze data concerning nearly 6000 castes and 65000 sub-castes. This will undoubtedly add huge overhead with regards to time required to collect the data and the costs associated with it.
• As John Henry Hutton, census commissioner in 1931, wrote later:
“Experience at this census has shown very clearly the difficulty of getting a correct return of caste and likewise the difficulty of interpreting it for census purposes.”
• This data is required by the ministry of welfare to monitor the implementation of the welfare programs for the betterment of OBCs. But the disturbing factor is that the request for a caste based census has come from the political parties and the caste based census records would act as permanent databases for our politicians vote bank politics.
• Caste in itself might not be a source of tension. But, using it for one’s own benefit could be responsible for a myriad problems, which in turn, negatively impacts peoples’ minds. This leads to aggravating the differences among them and to increasing levels of intolerance. It instigates people into taking actions that may have serious negative consequences. In this day and age, when we strive to reach new heights in economic strength, such things appear to apply the brakes on the path to progress.