Relevance: GS Paper II (Welfare of weaker sections; government policies; the Census & representation) | Source: The Hindu

On 20 May 2026, the Supreme Court (Bench led by CJI Surya Kant) refused to stop the counting of caste in Census 2027. It said this is the government’s policy choice. For the first time since 1931, caste will be counted — and this will be India’s first fully digital Census.

1. The story so far

•         The Census is held under the Census Act, 1948, and conducting it is a Union (central) subject.
•         Till 2011, only Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) were counted by caste.
•         In April 2025, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs decided to add caste in 2027.
•         It will run in two phases — first house-listing (HLO), then population enumeration. People can even self-enumerate using a phone.

Fig: The two phases of Census 2027, and how the data feeds seat-sharing and reservation.

2. Why caste counting is sensitive

•         It shapes power: the 2027 figures will decide the next delimitation (Articles 81, 82, 170) and help roll out women’s reservation (106th Amendment).
•         Quality worries: confusion between ‘de jure’ and ‘de facto’ counting, hard questions, enumerators not used to phones, tired respondents, and data privacy. NRIs are not counted, yet they affect seat-sharing.
•         Use vs misuse: the government calls caste data ‘an MRI of the body’ for welfare. But the Bihar and Karnataka surveys show some groups may not accept their own figures.

UPSC Value Box

 3. How to get it right

•         Test and simplify the questionnaire; put easy, multi-language help inside the app.
•         Build strong error-checks, protect privacy, and train the 30 lakh-plus enumerators well.
•         Keep the process transparent and non-political to win public trust.

Conclusion: A careful caste count can be a real tool for social justice and better welfare. Done badly, it can divide. The difference lies in good design and honesty, not in intentions alone.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

2027. “A caste census can be a tool of social justice or a source of division — its credibility depends on design, not intent.” Discuss in the context of Census 2027. (15 marks, 250 words)

Answer hints:

•         Intro: 1931 was the last full caste census; 2027 will be the first digital one.
•         Body: Use — evidence-based welfare (Article 340); Risks — politics, weak data, privacy.
•         Value-add: Census Act 1948, Mandal Commission, Bihar & Karnataka surveys, delimitation, 106th Amendment.
•         Conclusion: Safeguards and neutral handling decide whether it unites or divides.