The Government of Bihar has started conducting a Caste based Census in the state. A caste census is a method of counting the population of the state including the caste data. It gives an overview of the people belonging to different castes of the state. Census, in general is the counting of the population of a state or a country. We get to know many facets of the demography of a place by knowing the census such as the population density of a place, sex-ratio, overall literacy, population growth, religion, language, socio-economic status etc. In a nutshell it gives Government an idea of how to steer social welfare schemes.
Caste Census Bihar 2023
Caste based census gives the detail about the caste of a respective population of the region. In all the census conducted in India from 1951 to 2011 the data about Scheduled Caste and Tribes were published, but the date on other castes were not published. Beginning on Saturday, January 7, the Bihar Government headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, began the first phase of the state’s caste-based survey.
Caste Based Census Bihar Important Points
| Name | Bihar Caste Based Census 2023 |
| First Phase Started on | January 7, 2023 |
| First Phase Ends on | January 21, 2023 |
| Second Phase Start on | April 1, 2023 |
| Second Phase Ends on | April 30, 2023 |
| Started By | Bihar government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar |
| Nodal Authority | General Administration Department |
| In the First Phase | Number of all households in the State will be counted |
| In the Second Phase | Data about the residents of the houses, including their socioeconomic status, castes, and sub castes, will be gathered. |
| Budgetary Outlay for the Survey | Rs 500 Crore |
Caste Based Census Timeline
- The first Census in India began in 1872.
- The first periodic count was started in 1881.
- The first Caste Census in India was carried out by the Britishers in 1931.
- Due to British administrative and financial difficulties, the caste count was not included in the census taken in 1941.
- Share of OBCs in the total population as per caste census for 1931, was found to be about 52 percent.
- The Scheduled Caste and Tribe data were published in every Indian census from 1951 to 2011; however, the data on other castes were not published.
- The last population Census of India was conducted in 2011.
- In August 2018, Rajnath Singh, who was the Union’s home minister at the time, stated that OBC data would also be gathered for the census of 2021.
- The next Census of India was due in 2021 but the same has been postponed due to the pan-demic.
- In 2018 and 2019, the Bihar state legislature unanimously approved two resolutions supporting a caste census.
- The decision of a caste census was taken by the Bihar cabinet on June 2 2022.
- It’s first phase was started on January 7, 2023 and ended on January 21, 2023.
- It’s Second phase will start on April 1, 2023.
- It’s Second Phase will end on April 30, 2023.
Also Read: Bihar Last Census Data | बिहार जन गणना
Advantages of Caste Census
There are certain advantages of conducting the caste census. Some of them are given below:
- The caste demography data obtained from the caste census will help the Government in allocating optimum social justice resources to different communities of the state.
- It will help in identifying a particular community that is lagging behind in developmental aspects.
- Reservations and other social action programmes must be based on an accurate count of the beneficiaries, otherwise, formation of policies by the agencies will become a tedious task.
- The caste census will provide intricate details about the socio economic status of a particular caste such as life expectancy at birth, sex ratio, economic status, literary, population growth etc.
Disadvantages of Caste Census
There are certain disadvantages of conducting the caste census as the process was opposed by some groups of people. The disadvantages are given below:
- It may result inn spreading caste feelings among the people.
- It may become a hindrance to the vision of making a uniform, caste-less society in the country.
- It may solidifies caste identities.
- It may give rise to caste based politics which will harm the development of the country as a whole.
- In the modern time where every Indian is trying to identify his/ her identity with that of his country i.e. Indian, caste identity may take us back in old divided times if not implemented in good spirit.
Know about Bihar Saat Nischay Part 2
Bihar Caste Census Facts
The survey will be conducted door to door and would cover an estimated 12.70 crore people living in an approximate 2.58 crore households spread across 38 districts of the state with 534 blocks and 261 urban local bodies. It is to be conducted by 3.5 lakh government employees who have undergone five days’ training for the task.
The financial cost state has to bear for the survey is about Rs 500 crore. The survey will be conducted in two phases. In the first phase which was from January 7, 2023 to January 21, 2023 the total number of the households were counted. In the second phased which is scheduled from April 1, 2023 to April 30 2021 individual information will be acquired on people of all castes, sub-castes, and religions.
Some people who were opposing this move of the Government of Bihar filed PILs in the Supreme Court of India to stop the ongoing caste-based census in Bihar. But, the Supreme Court has rejected the PIL’s (Public Interest Litigation) by terming them as Publicity Interest Litigation.
