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Gehlot Calls Caste Census Format Flawed, Seeks New Questionnaire
Ashok Gehlot says the government’s planned caste census form needs to be changed.
He believes the form should use a verified list of castes that enumerators can select from.
The current form reportedly asks people to write their caste in an open-ended way.
Different spellings or names for the same caste could then be counted as separate groups.
Gehlot says this could make the final numbers inaccurate.
He is especially concerned about data for OBCs, EBCs, and other disadvantaged communities.
He says accurate numbers are important when reviewing reservations and representation.
The census has begun in some areas and is expected to expand across India in February 2027.
He wants the government to consult political parties, experts, and the public before then.
Ashok Gehlot called the current caste census questionnaire “fundamentally flawed” and demanded that it be scrapped.
He proposed a new questionnaire based on a verified dropdown list of castes, following approaches used in Telangana and Bihar.
Gehlot said the open-ended caste question could split the same caste across different names, spellings, and regional variations.
He warned that inaccurate data could obscure the populations and deprivation of OBCs, EBCs, and other marginalized groups.
The census is scheduled to expand nationwide from February 2027, while Gehlot urged consultations with political parties, experts, and the public.
- Who
- Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot.
- What
- Gehlot demanded that the current caste census questionnaire be replaced with one using a verified dropdown list of castes.
- Where
- At a press conference in Ahmedabad, Gujarat; the census is planned nationwide.
- When
- He made the remarks in Ahmedabad on September 5; the nationwide rollout is scheduled for February 2027.
- Why
- He said the open-ended format could produce inaccurate caste figures and undermine assessment of representation, deprivation, and reservation policies.
Key facts
- Speaker
- Ashok Gehlot, senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan chief minister
- Main demand
- Scrap the existing questionnaire and prepare a new one
- Proposed method
- Use a verified dropdown list of government-recognized castes
- Question at issue
- Question No. 10 of the 40 questions notified for the upcoming census
- Estimated caste list
- Approximately 4,200 castes are reportedly already listed with Union and state governments
- Groups cited
- Other Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes, and marginalized sections
- Nationwide rollout
- Scheduled to begin in February 2027
- Suggested consultation
- Political parties, experts, and the public
Quotes
Ashok Gehlot
Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan chief minister
“However, despite the announcement, the Modi government does not appear to have a genuine intention to implement the entire process transparently. The Modi government still has time to make necessary improvements to the framework, as the caste census has currently commenced only in select areas and is scheduled to be rolled out across the entire country starting in February 2027.”
theprint.in
“Such a questionnaire should be drafted only after extensive consultations with political parties, experts, and the public, to ensure the true population figures for every caste and community are revealed, making the caste census accurate, meaningful, and effective for achieving social justice.”
theprint.in
Sources
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