Caste census ends, final report may take 6 months

The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes is exploring the possibility of introducing an online system to enable people who have been left out of the caste census to upload information about them.

Principal Secretary to Backward Classes Welfare Department Shalini Rajneesh said the Commission is scheduled to hold its meeting on Monday to discuss among others allowing people to provide information online. The aim is to cover all those who have been left out during the census, she added.

The Commission chairman H Kantharaju said a proposal to introduce the online system will be discussed in the meeting. “There are many pros and cons. For instance, we have to find out how to collect the signature of people who upload information. We will discuss about these issues and take an appropriate decision,” he stated.

Caste census which commenced on April 11 came to an end on Sunday. The government extended the census in Bengaluru as the coverage was poor.

Besides, there were complaints from people that the enumerators had not visited their houses. “The coverage in State, excluding Bengaluru, is 98 per cent. The coverage in Bengaluru was 93.5 per cent till Saturday,”

Commission chairman H Kantharaju said.The Commission has decided to expedite the work to digitise information collected in the census. Bharat Electronics Limited, which has taken up digitisation, is likely to complete the work in a month’s time. It will be followed by tabulation work. Preparation of the final report may take about six months, he added.