Caste Census
Historical and Policy Context
Independent India discontinued caste enumeration in 1951, retaining it only for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) to administer reservations. The last full caste census was conducted under British administration in 1931. The Mandal Commission's landmark 1980 report — which underpinned the 27% OBC reservation in central services — was forced to rely on 1931 data, estimating OBCs at 52% of the population. The Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 collected caste data but the results were never fully released.
- 1931: last full caste census in India.
- Mandal Commission (1978–80): recommended 27% OBC reservation; relied on 1931 caste data.
- SECC 2011: caste data collected but not publicly released.
- Cabinet approved inclusion of caste enumeration in Census 2027 in 2025.
● Tracked since March 05, 2026 · last seen May 02, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
02 May '26
Census 2027: Uttar Pradesh Launches Two-Phase Exercise with Caste Enumeration
Polity & Governance
17 Apr '26
Rahul Gandhi: Delimitation Bills Redraw Electoral Map While Using Women as Cover
Polity & Governance
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