Overview of the Upcoming Census and Caste Data Collection

A school teacher's work collecting caste data at Kandi, Sangareddy, Telangana, highlights the central government's decision to include caste data in the next Census, scheduled for 2027. This decision aims to integrate marginalized communities into the mainstream. Prime Minister emphasizes this as a step towards inclusivity.

Structure of the Census Process

Two Phases of the Census

• House-Listing Phase (2026): Scheduled between April to September 2026, this phase will document all dwelling units, focusing on housing characteristics.
• Population Enumeration Phase (2027): This phase will gather key socio-economic data, including caste information, which was last recorded in 1941 but not processed due to WWII.

Historical Context and Challenges

• The last Census providing detailed caste data was in 1931, making the current data obsolete for policy-making.
• The Census questionnaire's design may not fully support the objective of capturing meaningful caste data without restructuring.

Proposed Restructuring of Census Questionnaires

Restructuring the Census questionnaires could improve data utility:

• Including caste questions for all castes (excluding Scheduled Tribes) in the Census could enhance data collection.
• Information on castes can be deduced from socio-economic indicators like education, age at marriage, and economic participation.

Limitations of Current Data Collection

• Unemployment data from the Census suffers from conceptual and collection issues, lacking clarity on the duration a person should be seeking work to be classified as unemployed.
• Data on child births and survival has quality issues and is better collected through the National Family Health Surveys.

Migration and Other Data Limitations

• Migration data is crucial but often undercounted or inaccurately recorded, challenging the assessment of caste-specific migration trends.
• Reliable caste-wise data is mainly restricted to education, age at marriage, and economic activity.

Enhancing Census Data Quality and Utility

House-Listing and Information Linkage

• The house-listing phase aims to create comprehensive dwelling lists to aid enumeration.
• Transferring questions on housing quality and amenities to the household schedule could improve data linkage and accuracy.

Reducing Data Errors

• Errors in linking data between phases could affect small communities' data reliability.
• Better house-lists can enhance urban area data coverage, which often faces higher omission rates.

Streamlining the Census Questionnaire

• Removing redundant questions (e.g., mobile phone and computer ownership) would streamline the process.
• Focusing on essential questions would improve data accuracy and utility.

Implications for Policy and Program Formulation

While the Census has historically provided caste/tribe-wise socio-economic data, its use in identifying the most backward communities for policy-making remains limited. The hope is that upcoming caste-wise data will enhance program formulation and transcend mere reservation decisions.