The Supreme Court has rejected a petition that sought to halt the ongoing caste census that forms part of the Census 2027. The Chief Justice of India emphasized that any government must know how many people are backward and need welfare.
Key Developments
- In April 2025, the Modi government announced a caste enumeration alongside the fresh census, reversing its earlier stance.
- The petition to stop the count was dismissed by the Supreme Court, upholding the government's decision.
- Earlier, the RSS warned that caste surveys could fracture Hindu society.
- The last post‑independence national caste count was the SECC, which produced over 46 lakh distinct caste names and 8 crore errors, rendering its data largely unusable.
Important Facts
The decennial survey was originally due in 2021 but delayed by the COVID‑19 pandemic and logistical challenges. The caste enumeration will be conducted in the second phase, asking each individual to state their specific caste rather than only indicating SC/ST status. The 2011 SECC’s open‑ended approach led to massive duplication and errors, highlighting the methodological difficulty of a reliable caste count.
Exam Relevance
Understanding the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories is essential for questions on so