Census 2026-27: Congress slams omission of OBCs in phase 1 questionnaire

'It raises serious questions on the Narendra Modi government's true intentions and commitment to caste census'

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday found fault with the questions notified for the phase 1 of Census 2027 for omitting references to the other backward classes (OBCs) while seeking details of households and said it raised "serious questions" on the Narendra Modi government's "true intentions and commitment" to caste census.

The party urged the Modi government to initiate dialogue with parties, State governments and the civil society before finalising the details of the caste enumeration exercise, citing that such consultations were integral to the Socio Economic and Caste Census carried out by the Telangana government last year.

The Congress raised specific objection to Question No 12 in the Houselisting and Housing Census exercise, the first phase of Census 2027, saying it asks whether the head of the household belongs to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, or ‘Other’ categories "rather than explicitly asking about OBC and General categories". 

"Since caste enumeration is to be part of Census 2027, Question 12 as formulated does raise serious questions on the Modi Government’s true intentions and on its commitment to a comprehensive, fair, nation-wide caste census," Congress general secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said on 'X'.

The government has not notified the questions for population enumeration, during which caste enumeration is expected.

While the Congress has been urging the Union government to follow the Telangana model in caste enumeration, Ramesh said it remains the "most comprehensive and meaningful way" to gather vital caste-wise information on education, employment, income, and political engagement — which are very essential for ensuring greater economic and social justice.

Ramesh said the Modi government which has all along rejected the idea of a caste census but did a "complete U-turn" on April 30 last year to suddenly announce caste enumeration as part of Census 2027. 

Earlier, he said, the government had in the Lok Sabha on July 20, 2021 and in its affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on September 21, 2021 had spoken against caste census.

Ramesh said the Prime Minister himself had in a TV interview on April 28, 2024 accused all those demanding a caste census as suffering from an "urban naxal mindset".

He added, "But clearly the Prime Minister was forced to capitulate and agree to the widespread demand for a caste census that had been given voice to by the Indian National Congress led by (Congress president Mallikarjun) Kharge and (Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi."

The Houselisting and Housing Census will be held between April and September this year while the population enumeration is scheduled for February next year in all areas except Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, and the snowbound areas of Jammu and Kashmir.