A New Framework around Caste and the Census

Context: While the Census of India collects demographic and socio­economic information, there needs to be closer engagement between all stakeholders of the Census and the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC).

Significance of Census: Starting from the year 1881, the Census of India has the following significance -

• In governance: It is used by the government, policymakers, academics, and others to capture the Indian population, its access to resources, and to map social change.
• Used with regard to the delimitation exercise in the country.
• Mapping of inequalities: The SECC, which collected the ?rst figures on caste in Census operations since 1931, is the largest exercise of the enumeration of caste.

Critique of Census:

• Inadequate and complex: W.M. Yeatts, Census Commissioner 1941 Census, pointed out that, “the census is a large, immensely powerful, but blunt instrument unsuited for specialised enquiry”.
  • It may produce an imagination of society, which suggests the epistemological complexities involved.
• Issues with castes and its enumeration: due to the emotive element of caste and the political and social repercussions of a caste census.
  • It may help solidify or harden identities.
  • Caste may be context-specific, and thus difficult to measure.
  • Difficult to cover influences and effects caste and society has on each other.
  • Delay in the release of data: Impacts understanding of social change. For e.g. a sizeable amount of data remains unreleased under the SECC.

Way forward:

• Understanding existing caste data: Discussion the data that already exists used by the government to grant or withdraw benefits and academicians for mapping social inequalities and change
• Linking and syncing aggregated Census data to other large datasets: such as the National Sample Surveys or the National Family Health Surveys
  • To cover issues that the Census exercises do not, such as maternal health.
  • Would ensure a more comprehensive analysis, enabling the utilisation of the large body of data that already exists.
• Ensure inclusive and non-discriminatory census operations: given the sensitive nature of the data.

Conclusion: Concerns about methodology, relevance, rigour, dissemination, transparency and privacy need to be taken seriously if this exercise is to do what it was set up to do.