With the central government set to initiate the long-delayed population census early next year, the demand for the inclusion of a caste census is intensifying. India’s other backward communities (OBCs) make up a significant portion of the population, yet their exact numbers remain unaccounted for. Calls for a caste census have come from both the opposition and several parties within the ruling coalition. However, the BJP-led central government has consistently opposed it. Despite electoral setbacks related to this issue, the Modi government’s reluctance to reconsider its stance appears politically motivated.

In a diverse country like India, with its myriad castes and sub-castes, equitable distribution of the benefits of development is essential. Powerful forces, however, argue against a caste census, seemingly to keep backward classes marginalized from the national mainstream. As of now, the central government has neither confirmed nor ruled out caste enumeration in the upcoming census. Reports suggest that, rather than a full-scale caste census, a new column to indicate caste may be added to the census data. Yet, no definitive decision has been announced.

The Congress and other key opposition parties have pledged to conduct a caste census if they come to power. Meanwhile, the Bihar government, led by NDA ally Nitish Kumar, has already completed a caste census. Legal challenges against this effort have been unsuccessful. Congress-ruled states like Karnataka are also preparing to carry out similar initiatives. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are already documented in census data, making it hard to understand why there is resistance to enumerating the country’s backward classes. Alongside the census, the National Population Register will be updated, with publication slated for 2026.

The census process will also set the stage for delimiting parliamentary constituencies, which remain based on 1971 population data. Reserved constituencies are overdue for redefinition. Moreover, as India prepares to implement one-third reservations for women in legislative bodies, this will also need to be factored into any redistricting efforts.