Govt Approves Caste Enumeration in 2026 Census: Vaishnaw

The Indian government will add caste enumeration to the upcoming national census, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced at a Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday.

Vaishnaw said the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs approved the move to include caste questions in the next census, scheduled for 2026. "Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has decided today that caste enumeration should be included in the forthcoming census," he said.

The minister criticized the Congress party for opposing the measure, recalling that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2010 had urged the Cabinet to review caste data collection. "In 2010, the late Dr. Manmohan Singh said the matter of a caste census should be considered in the Cabinet," Vaishnaw noted.

Vaishnaw also warned that state-level caste surveys conducted in Telangana and Karnataka had lacked consistency and transparency. "Some states have carried out surveys transparently, while others used them for political ends, raising doubts in society," he said. He added that fragmented efforts risked social harmony.

Clarifying the legal basis, Vaishnaw cited Article 246 and the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, which place the census under Union jurisdiction. "To preserve the social fabric and ensure reliable data, caste enumeration will now be part of the official Census rather than piecemeal state surveys," he said.

Opposition parties had called for a detailed caste count to guide welfare policies. Vaishnaw said a unified approach will help policymakers assess social and economic needs. He argued that integrating caste data in the census would provide a single, transparent source for government planning.

The decision marks a policy shift more than a decade after the last census on social categories, and follows growing demands from regional parties for caste figures. The government expects the integrated census to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and maintain social stability.

Poll: Will including caste enumeration in the Census improve data transparency?

- Yes, it will yield clearer and more reliable data.

- No, it could create unnecessary complications.