Internal quota: Survey of SC communities in Karnataka between May 5 & 17

Bengaluru: A comprehensive survey of all the Scheduled Caste (SC) communities will be carried out between May 5 and 17 to implement the internal reservation matrix, in accordance with the recommendations of the Justice H N Nagamohan Das-led commission. 

The state government had formed the commission to look into the issue in the wake of a landmark judgment by the Supreme Court in August 2024, allowing all states to make provisions for internal reservation within the SC, ST, and backward class categories. 

Uma Mahadevan, president of the state-level coordination committee constituted to conduct the survey, presided over a virtual call attended by district officers, Zilla Panchayat CEOs, and Superintendents of Police. Enumerators to be deployed for the survey will be taught the processes and procedures at a taluk-level training session on April 29 and 30. 

The survey will be conducted in three stages using a mobile app. In the first stage, enumerators will personally visit the households to collect data. Next, from May 19 to 21, booth-wise special camps will be held for compilation of information. Those unable to participate in both these exercises, or have missed them, can opt for online self-declaration, which can be done between May 19 and 23. Individuals must compulsorily have their Aadhaar card, and the RD number on their respective caste certificate for the self-declaration exercise. 

In the report, it has been mandated that the details of the castes on the SC list have to be compulsorily provided. Other details such as the population of the sub-caste, number of families, education obtained, land ownership, income, political representation, etc., should also be provided.