Now Reading: Ladakh to lead independent India’s first caste census
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Ladakh to lead independent India’s first caste census
Ladakh will become the first part of independent India to enumerate caste in the 2027 Census. The second phase, known as Population Enumeration, begins on August 17, 2026, with a self-enumeration option,…
The Story in Brief
Ladakh will become the first part of independent India to enumerate caste in the 2027 Census. The second phase, known as Population Enumeration, begins on August 17, 2026, with a self-enumeration option, followed by house-to-house visits from September 1. Enumerators will record caste in an open-ended column, meaning respondents can declare their caste as they wish. The decision to use paper schedules in Ladakh, rather than the mandatory digital App, is due to security concerns near the China and Pakistan borders. A pre-test in 16 states used the same open-column method, which in the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census produced over 46 lakh different caste names.
The Indian Opinion
The government has long cited 'errors' in the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census to withhold its data. Now, with a new open-ended caste column in the 2027 census, the same problem, over 46 lakh caste names, may resurface. Skeptics will watch whether this data is actually released or quietly buried again. The test is simple: will the Registrar General publish the full caste data, or will we hear more about 'unreliable' methodology?
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
