Census must count sub-caste in, Pg11.

Key Highlights:

• The Union government decided on April 30 to include caste enumeration in the upcoming 2027 Census.
• The decision comes nearly a century after the last comprehensive caste census of 1931 and 14 years after the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) of 2011.
• The 1990 Mandal Commission implemented 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in public employment.
• The 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act in 2019 granted an additional 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).

Detailed Insights:

• The Constituent Assembly aimed to establish a nation-state based on social, economic, and political justice through equality.
• Articles 15 and 16 empower the state to create laws for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes.
• The Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney vs Union of India upheld OBC reservation, set a 50% ceiling, and introduced the "creamy layer" concept.
• The 1931 caste census documented approximately 4,147 distinct castes, sub-castes, and lineage markers.
• The Justice Rohini Commission found that only 25% of OBC sub-castes received 97% of reservation benefits.
• Capturing sub-caste and lineage details in Census 2027 is crucial to reflect the intricate social stratification that defines caste-based disadvantage.
• The government plans to conduct India’s first fully digital census, which offers opportunities for metadata analysis.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Caste Enumeration: The systematic counting and recording of different castes within a population.
• Affirmative Action: Policies designed to address past and present discrimination and promote equal opportunities.
• Creamy Layer: A concept that excludes economically advanced sections of OBCs from reservation benefits.