12-May-2025 Daily Answer Writing
Q1) Critically evaluate the need for a caste-based census in India. What challenges must be addressed to ensure accuracy and effective use of the data?
(GS Paper 2, 15 marks, 250 words)
Answer
India’s push for a caste-based census marks a major shift toward evidence-based policymaking. Historically, caste enumeration has been partial, covering only SCs and STs since 1951, while leaving out OBCs and upper castes.\
Why Caste Census is Necessary:
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Data-Driven Social Justice: Accurate caste data is vital for equitable distribution of reservations and targeted welfare schemes.
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Legal Requirement: The 73rd and 74th Amendments mandate OBC reservations in local bodies, necessitating granular data.
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Policy Transparency: Helps address elite capture and ensures representation across sub-categories within OBCs.
Challenges to Execution:
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Past Failures: The 2011 SECC was poorly designed, producing over 46 lakh caste categories due to open-ended questions and lack of validation.
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Political Resistance: Fears of backlash from dominant castes and data politicization persist.
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Institutional Capacity: Enumerators must be well-trained and use digital tools with pre-validated caste lists to avoid errors.
Best Practices Suggested:
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Legal amendment to the Census Act, 1948.
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Entrusting responsibility solely to the Office of the Registrar General of India.
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State-specific caste lists, closed questionnaires, and oversight committees.
Conclusion:
A well-executed caste census can correct deep-rooted structural inequalities. But its success depends on institutional credibility, political will, and societal consensus
Read More – 09 May 2025 : Daily Answer Writing
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