Caste counting in Census 2027

Notes

• Census 2027 second phase rehearsal is currently underway in 16 States and Union Territories.
• The rehearsal includes an 'open column' for respondents to state their caste for recording by enumerators.
• Unlike the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), the current caste enumeration has statutory backing.
• The 2011 SECC returned over 46 lakh 'caste names' due to the open-ended recording method, leading to unusable data.
• The 1931 Census, the last to tabulate caste, recorded 4,147 caste names.
• The Centre informed the Supreme Court in 2021 that SECC data was too error-ridden for use in reservation policy.
• Proposed methodology improvements include using digital hand-held devices pre-loaded with a curated list of castes and sub-castes.
• The Bihar caste survey (2022-23) demonstrated that using a curated list can yield more usable data.
• The rationale for counting caste is to address social inequities and improve the targeting of welfare and affirmative action.
• Empirical caste data is considered necessary for addressing issues like the 'creamy layer' and sub-categorisation of reserved categories.

Part of a longer story

This is day 2 of 18 in Caste enumeration in Census 2027, which has been running since 7 July 2026. Reading it whole is usually worth more than reading today alone — the exam asks how something developed.

• Census 2027 caste enumeration rehearsal Before
• Census 2027 phase two questions After
• The whole story 18 entries