1 week ago
Telangana Assembly Seeks Dedicated OBC Column in Census
Telangana’s lawmakers asked the central government to count OBC communities more clearly in the next national census.
They want the census form to give OBCs their own category.
The form currently mentions Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and “Other Castes,” according to the reports.
Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said official lists of recognised castes should be added to the digital census system.
He said better information could help governments plan welfare programs and representation.
Other ministers connected the request to long-standing demands for fair treatment and reservations.
AIMIM supported the resolution, and one report also said CPI supported it.
Reports disagreed about the BJP, with one describing a walkout and another saying BJP members backed the resolution.
The Telangana Assembly adopted a resolution urging the Centre to add a dedicated BC/OBC column to the second-phase Census 2027 questionnaire.
BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar moved the resolution, seeking caste-wise data based on official state and Union government lists.
The resolution calls for changing Question 10 to list OBCs separately from “Other Castes,” alongside Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The government said accurate OBC data would support welfare planning, social justice, and population-proportionate representation.
Reports differed on BJP participation: one said BJP legislators walked out over the Kamareddy BC Declaration, while another said the party supported the resolution; AIMIM supported it, and one report also cited CPI backing.
- Who
- The Telangana Legislative Assembly, led in the debate by BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, urged the Union government to act.
- What
- The Assembly adopted a resolution seeking explicit BC/OBC enumeration and a dedicated OBC column in the second phase of Census 2027.
- Where
- The resolution was adopted in the Telangana Legislative Assembly in Hyderabad.
- When
- The resolution was adopted on a Friday during an Assembly debate; the questionnaire cited in the reports was issued on August 14, 2026.
- Why
- Supporters said accurate caste-wise data is needed for social justice, welfare planning, and fair representation.
Government and Resolution Supporters
Opposition and Procedural Critics
Dedicated OBC enumeration
Government and Resolution Supporters
Supporters said OBCs should be named separately in Question 10 so their population can be counted systematically and used for welfare and representation policies.
Opposition and Procedural Critics
The BJP legislators described in one report did not support proceeding as presented and walked out while demanding immediate implementation of the Kamareddy BC Declaration.
Caste-wise data and representation
Government and Resolution Supporters
Telangana ministers called for mandatory caste-wise enumeration, citing the Kaka Kalelkar and Mandal Commissions and arguing that BC reservations reflect rights gained through long-term struggle.
Opposition and Procedural Critics
The reports do not provide a detailed alternative position on how BC/OBC enumeration should be conducted, but one account says BJP members objected during the debate and another says the BJP backed the resolution.
Key facts
- Resolution status
- Adopted by the Telangana Legislative Assembly; reports differ on whether the vote was unanimous because one report described BJP opposition and a walkout.
- Census involved
- National Census 2027, second phase
- Requested amendment
- Change Question 10 to list Other Backward Classes (OBC) separately from Other Castes
- Current wording cited
- “Scheduled Castes (SC) / Scheduled Tribes (ST) / Other Caste”
- Resolution mover
- BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar
- Proposed data method
- Pre-load official Central and State government BC/OBC lists into the digital census portal
- Political reactions
- AIMIM supported the resolution; one report also cited CPI support, while reports differed over the BJP’s position
Quotes
Ponnam Prabhakar
Telangana minister for Backward Classes welfare who moved the Assembly resolution
“The Centre should collect accurate statistics without diluting the sacred objective of caste census - which is to identify various castes and their percentages and formulate welfare schemes for the upliftment of depressed classes.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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