Archive · 15 Aug 2026
Caste Census Will Help Establish OBC Numbers, Says Fadnavis
The government of India does a big count of all the people in the country, which is called a census.
The next count is called Census 2027.
For the first time ever, the government will ask every person about their caste, which is the community their family belongs to.
The leader of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, says this will help the government learn exactly how many people belong to a group called OBCs.
OBC stands for Other Backward Classes, a group that gets special help in India.
A former minister named Chhagan Bhujbal asked for this kind of count before anyone else in the state, and he is happy the government is doing it.
The census is also connected to women's reservation, which means reserving seats for women in government.
A new law from 2023 promised these seats, but it can only happen after the census and a step called delimitation.
Some political parties did not agree with a plan to use an old census, so finishing the new census became very important.
If everything goes as planned, women might get their special seats in 2029.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the caste census will let the government access OBC population data across the country at the click of a command.
The Centre notified 40 questions for the second phase of Census 2027, including, for the first time, an open-ended caste question for every respondent.
Fadnavis noted caste had previously not been a census subject, while Census 2027 includes separate categories for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and caste.
Former Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, the first in the state to demand an OBC census, has welcomed the government's decision.
Fadnavis said women's reservation requires completing the census and delimitation or a fresh constitutional amendment, with reservation possible in 2029.
- Who
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, whose remarks followed the Centre's notification of Census 2027 questions; former minister Chhagan Bhujbal also welcomed the decision.
- What
- Fadnavis said the caste census will help establish the actual OBC population and linked women's reservation implementation to completion of the census and delimitation.
- When
- Saturday, a day after the Centre notified 40 questions for the second phase of Census 2027.
- Where
- Mumbai, after flag hoisting at Mantralaya and a meeting at Sahyadri Guest House.
- Why
- To establish accurate OBC population data and to enable women's reservation, which depends on completion of the census and delimitation exercises.
Opposition Parties
Government
Women's Reservation Implementation
Opposition Parties
Some Opposition parties did not support the constitutional amendment that would allow women's reservation to be completed on the basis of the previous census if the new census is delayed.
Government
The government says women's reservation can only be implemented by completing the caste census and delimitation, or by supporting a fresh constitutional amendment, enabling reservation in 2029.
- Chief Minister
- Devendra Fadnavis
- Census
- Census 2027
- Second-phase questions notified
- 40 questions, including an open-ended caste question for every respondent
- New census categories
- Separate categories for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and caste
- OBC census demand
- First raised in the state by Chhagan Bhujbal, who welcomed the decision
- Women's reservation law
- 2023 constitutional amendment
- Women's reservation timeline
- Possible in 2029 if census and delimitation are completed
- Location
- Mumbai (Mantralaya, Sahyadri Guest House)