Telangana caste survey: 89,000 child labourers exist in state, mostly from SC and ST

Hyderabad: As many as 89,000 children under the age of 18 have been found to be engaged in daily wage work across the state, the caste survey conducted by the Congress government in Telangana in 2024-25 has revealed.

The survey report, which was made public recently said that of these 89,000 child labourers, 14 per cent belonged to SC Madigas and 11 per cent to ST Lambadis, who formed the major share of castes engaged in daily wage work.

"In Telangana, about one per cent of those under 18 were found to be engaged in daily wage work. The incidence is highest among the ST Kolam community at 7.2 per cent, highlighting intense economic hardship and limited access to protective systems, such as education and welfare support," it said.

"However, given the overall average is about one per cent, data hides more than it reveals. When we look at it in absolute terms, 89,000 children under 18 were found to be daily wage workers," the Telangana Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey-2024 said.

On an average, 31.3 people aged 25–65 are engaged in daily wage work.

The BC-A Odde caste records the highest proportion at 55 per cent among the 56 major castes, pointing to severe economic precariousness.

In sharp contrast, only 2.6 per cent of OC Brahmins rely on daily wages, indicating relative economic stability. This stark disparity underscores the deep inequalities in the nature and quality of employment across caste groups, it said.

Many SC and ST communities such as ST Kolam, SC Beda, SC Madiga, ST Koya, ST Gond, ST Yerukulas, SC Mala Sale have the highest share of daily wage labourers in the state. Most OC (General Caste) communities along with BC-B Goldsmith and BC-C Christians have the least share of daily wage workers, it added.

OC Rajus and OC Brahmins lead significantly, with 27 per cent of their populations in professional private jobs, followed closely by OC Kapus at 24 per cent which shows their disproportionate representation in the formal private sector, pointing to historical advantages in education, urban networks, and economic capital.

The Telangana SEEEPC survey, colloquially referred to as the "caste census" is a record of 3.55 crore people's status, feelings, experiences and hopes captured through 75 fields of information for each individual that offers a rich insight into the "health of Telangana society".