Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Seek New Caste Census Questionnaire
Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi want India to change its caste census form.
They wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 20.
They say the form lets people write their caste name in their own words.
The same caste may have different names in different regions.
This could make one community appear as many separate groups.
They worry that incorrect numbers could affect education, jobs, welfare and social justice programs.
They are especially concerned that the form may not accurately count Other Backward Classes.
They want a prepared list of caste names instead.
They also want political parties, experts and the public consulted before a new form is made.
Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to scrap the existing caste census questionnaire.
They said its open-ended caste question could record the same caste under different names, sub-castes, spellings or regional variations.
The Congress leaders warned fragmented data could undermine education, employment, welfare and social justice policies.
They said excluding the term “Backward Class” could prevent an accurate count of India’s OBC population.
They proposed a verified drop-down caste list, citing caste surveys in Telangana and Bihar as examples.
- Who
- Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi; Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh discussed the letter publicly. Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary M.A. Baby separately raised concerns about the questionnaire’s personal-data requests.
- What
- Kharge and Gandhi demanded that the existing caste census questionnaire be scrapped and replaced after consultations, proposing a fixed or drop-down list of castes.
- When
- The joint letter was dated August 20 and was reported or released on August 25; one report said the nationwide exercise is scheduled for February 2027.
- Where
- The issue concerns India’s upcoming nationwide caste enumeration. Telangana and Bihar were cited as examples of surveys using prepared caste lists.
- Why
- The Congress leaders argue that open-ended responses could fragment caste data, obscure OBC numbers and weaken policies based on social justice data.
Congress and allied critics
Reported current methodology
Questionnaire design
Congress and allied critics
Kharge and Gandhi say the open-ended caste question is misleading and should be replaced with a verified fixed or drop-down caste list.
Reported current methodology
The reports describe the current methodology as using an open-ended question for caste details, but do not provide the government’s response or justification.
Data accuracy
Congress and allied critics
The Congress leaders argue that recording different names for the same caste could create hundreds of thousands or millions of entries and make the dataset difficult or useless to analyse.
Reported current methodology
The articles do not include a government assessment of whether open-ended responses would cause the alleged fragmentation.
Consultation and privacy
Congress and allied critics
Kharge and Gandhi want political parties, experts and the public consulted. M.A. Baby separately called for a structured caste classification and questioned the collection and possible linkage of extensive personal data.
Reported current methodology
The reports do not establish whether the government has agreed to wider consultations or explain how the requested personal information would be used.
- Main demand
- Scrap the existing caste census questionnaire and formulate a new one.
- Requested consultations
- Consult political parties, experts and the general public before finalising a new questionnaire.
- Questionnaire concern
- The reported format records whatever caste name respondents provide through an open-ended question.
- Data risk alleged by Congress
- Different names, sub-castes, spellings and regional or linguistic variations could split one caste into numerous entries.
- OBC concern
- Kharge and Gandhi said the term “Backward Class” is not included, potentially preventing an accurate estimate of the OBC population.
- Proposed alternative
- Use a verified drop-down list based on existing government lists for socially and educationally backward classes and material from the Anthropological Survey of India.
- Examples cited
- The Telangana Caste Survey 2024 and Bihar Caste Survey 2022.
- Additional privacy concern
- M.A. Baby said the questionnaire seeks details including Aadhaar, voter ID, passport, mobile numbers, bank accounts and information about a respondent’s spouse.
Sources
Caste census: Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge urge PM Modi to use fixed caste list - Telegraph India
Census: Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge urge PM Modi to cancel current caste questionnaire
Kharge, Rahul Urge PM To Scrap Existing Caste Census Questionnaire
‘Scrap questionnaire, prepare new one’: Kharge, Rahul Gandhi write to PM Modi on caste census
‘Scrap misleading questionnaire’: Kharge, Rahul Gandhi write to PM Modi on caste census
Scrap questionnaire, prepare new one after consulting parties, experts: Kharge, Rahul to PM on caste census
Scrap existing questionnaire, formulate new one after consulting political parties, experts: Kharge, Rahul to PM on caste census
Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi urge PM Modi to scrap caste census questionnaire, seek fresh exercise
Congress Leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Ask PM Modi To Scrap Caste Census Questionnaire, Seek Wider Consultations
