Delhi kicks-off first caste-census since Independence

Tablet-computer carrying enumerators began the socio-economic and caste census of the Capital’s 1.7 crore people on Monday (16 January). An army of 10,000 designated for the job will go from house-to-house and street-to-street (for the homeless) with an elaborate questionnaire that seeks details on the social and economic status of individuals and families. The tablet computers are meant to check duplication of data. The questionnaire also includes ‘no caste/tribe’ option for those who don’t want to reveal their social status. [caption id=“attachment_184618” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“An army of 10,000 designated for the job will go from house-to-house and street-to-street. Reuters”]  [/caption] The caste-census is being conducted under the supervision of the Revenue Department and will conclude on 29 February. Speaking to reporters, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said, “It is important that these things are evaluated in India to find out which sections are weaker and need to get social justice. This census will help formulate processes in this direction as information is gathered till micro-level.” Details sought on economic status are different for urban and rural residents and include questions on property, assets, family members, education profile, nature of work, source of income and marital status. 2010 saw some fierce debates over the re-introduction of a caste-based census – last carried out in 1931 – with those for it, saying that caste data is the basis of a development agenda and those against saying it only reinforces a caste-based society. As pointed out by an article on countercurrents.org, the context of the debate is the Planning Commission Report 2008 that emphasized the need for a census of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), either immediately or as part of the 2011 census. The Planning Commission report observed that in the “absence of exact assessment of (the OBCs’) population size, literacy rate, employment status in government, private and unorganized sectors, basic civic amenities, health status, poverty status, and human development….it is very difficult to formulate realistic policies and programmes for the development of OBCs.”