Bihar Caste Survey Released What Does It Say

Bihar released the results of much-awaited caste survey, entitled the Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana, from the state government. The caste survey data released by the Bihar government puts the general...

Ruby Thakur
October 3, 2023
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Bihar released the results of much-awaited caste survey, entitled the Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana, from the state government. The caste survey data released by the Bihar government puts the general category population at 15.52%, could once again reopen the debate on the Indra Sawhney ceiling.

Bihar Caste Survey Released What Does It Say

Why In News

Bihar released the results of much-awaited caste survey, entitled the Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana, from the state government. The caste survey data released by the Bihar government puts the general category population at 15.52%, could once again reopen the debate on the Indra Sawhney ceiling.

History Of Census

India’s Census has its origins in way back in 1881 – when the British carried out a colonial exercise.
A Census, which is carried out every 10 years, basically provides a snapshot of the Indian population.
A caste survey, on the other hand, refers to tabulating the population of all of India’s castes mainly OBCs.
Till 1931, the Census actually gathered data relating to caste.

Every Census In Independent India From 1951 To 2011 Has Published Data On Scheduled Castes And Scheduled Tribes, But Not On Other Castes.

It is a tool used by the government, policymakers, academics, and others to, among other things, gain a better understanding of citizens, their makeup, the resources they have available, understand social and societal change and carry out delimitation exercises.
The last Census was carried out in 2011.

Why Caste Survey

The Bihar government ordered the caste survey last year after the BJP-led Narendra Modi government at the Centre made it clear that it would not be able to undertake a headcount of castes other than SCs and STs as part of the upcoming Census.
The caste survey kicked off in January – only for a clutch of petitions to be filed against it in the Patna high court.

It is the Central government’s duty to conduct a census, As it comes under the Union List , so Bihar State conducted a survey in the state. Census is what is done at the Centre level and State cant do that.
Bihar Government claimed that they want to gather financial information about the different people irrespective of any caste, rich or poor, Hindu or Muslim living in the state so that, we can work for their welfare.

What Has The Survey Revealed

According to the data released by Development Commissioner Vivek Singh, Other Backward Classes comprise 27% of the state populace, while Extremely Backward Classes make up 36% of the total populace.
Meanwhile, Scheduled Castes comprise 19.65% of the total population & Scheduled Tribes or Adivasis make up just 1.68% of the populace.

The report indicated that the Yadav community is the largest sub-group in the state with a 14.27% share of the total OBC community. Notably, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav also belongs to this community.

Those belonging to the “unreserved” category, which denotes the proverbial “upper castes” who dominated politics till the Mandal wave of 1990s, comprise 15.52% the total population.
The survey also establishes that the state’s population is overwhelmingly Hindu, with the majority community comprising 81.99 per cent of the total population, followed by Muslims 17.70%.
Christians, Sikhs, Jains and those following other religions as also the non-believers have a miniscule presence, together making up for less than one per cent of the total population.

Implications

This is important Because of the subject of reservation.
A caste-based census could ultimately result in challenging the formula used to allot quotas to communities.
It is highly likely that the calls to increase quotas for OBCs will grow louder ahead of the general elections of 2024.

Currently, the quota for OBCs is capped at 27 per cent.Though the first two were assigned percentages that reflected their share of the population, OBCs were given the 22 per cent figure to ensure that reservation does not exceed the 50 per cent cap In state as mandated by the Supreme Court In Indra Sawhney Case
The report also noted that no one knows exactly how many OBCs there are across the country.

Voices Of Opposition

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the opposition of dividing the country in the name of caste.
They used to play with the feelings of the poor and they are doing it even now. Even then they used to divide the country on the basis of caste and now they are doing the same.”

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Ruby Thakur

General Studies Lecturer SSBCrackExams, BSc In PCM, Trained Students For State Services Exams. Expertise in Geography ,Polity & Current Affairs. Love Travelling.