NationalConference

Caste Census: Towards an Inclusive India

Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP),

NationalLawSchool of IndiaUniversity, Bangalore

July 23, 2010

The UPA government is considering enumerating the Other Backward Castes (OBCs) in the 2011 census. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have been enumerated in the previous censuses. The key motivation behind counting the OBCs appears to be that clear data will allow for identifying which castes among the OBCs are still backward and which have improved their socio-economic status. In other words, collecting data on the OBCs is argued to be necessary since they are eligible for 27% affirmative action at present and, that it is essential to have reliable data on their levels of social progress. Presently, the OBCs are identified on the basis of data collected in the 1931 census.

Incorporating caste as an enumerative criterion in the Indian census is likely to have major social ramifications. If turned into policy, the new data should enable the state to evolve new policy criteria for recognizing intra-and inter-group socio-economic inequalities and better discharge its social justice commitments. While some support the enumeration of the OBC castes, some others have asked that all castes be enumerated. Critics of caste census enumeration, however, have expressed anxiety about its capacity for heightening caste divisiveness in India. Due to its wide ranging social, economic and political consequences, it has elicited intense discussions in the Indian media and the political parties. Although internal dissent is occasionally seen, many major political parties appear to have affirmed the need for enumerating caste.

Issues of enumerative methodology need close consideration: the existence of separate state and central lists of the OBCs, the difficulties of ascertaining the OBC identities of numerous sub-castes, the differential caste status of converts to Christianity or Islam across states, the status of orphans and of children from inter-caste marriages, and the competence of the census enumerators in collecting caste data. Since it has also been suggested that data on caste be collected at the time of compiling biometric information for the National Population Register, the pros and cons of this alternate measure also needs examination.

Given its undeniable importance for the quality of our future democracy, this issue deserves in-depth critical scrutiny before a policy decision is made: Will a caste-based census enable the better implementation of affirmative action policy? Does it have other advantages? What are the likely unintended policy consequences of a caste-census? What is the impact of this census on the Dalit and tribal communities? What are the methodological and logistical difficulties involved in enumerating castes? In addition to policy rationale, the moral-philosophical justifications for and against collecting caste-based data also need to be kept in view.

The Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP), National Law School of India University, Bangalore,has organized a national conferenceinvolving academics, policy makers, legal scholars and activists to examine the critical issues involved in enumerating caste in the Indian census. This conference will provide an open forum for a constructive debate on the proposed caste-based census.

Programme Schedule

9.30 a.m. / Welcome Song / Chintan
9.40 a.m. / Welcome Address / Prof. R. Venkata Rao
Vice-Chancellor, NLSIU
9.45 a.m. / Introductory Remarks / Prof. S. Japhet
Director, CSSEIP
9.50 a.m. / Inaugural Remarks / D. Raja, Rajya Sabha MP, CPI
10.00 a.m.
10.25 a.m. / 2011 Caste Census: The Issues at Hand
Discussion / Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat Chairperson, UGC
New Delhi
Moderator: Peter D’ Souza, Director, IIAS, Shimla
10.45 / Coffee Break
11.00 a.m.
11.20 a.m.
11.50 a.m. / Why Count Only the OBCs?
Justifying the Caste Census - A Reply to Critics
Discussion / Prof. D.L. Sheth
CSDS, New Delhi
Prof. Satish Deshpande
Department of Sociology,DelhiSchool of Economics
Moderator: Chandan Gowda, Associate Professor, CSSEIP
1.30 p.m. / Lunch
2.15 p.m.
2.45 p.m. / Counting Caste: Methodological Challenges
Discussion / Dr. Vijayanunni
Former Registrar General
Census 2001
Moderator: Dilip Mandal, Independent Researcher
3.15 p.m. / Identifying OBCs Across States, Across Religions / Justice M.N. Rao
Chairperson, National Backward Classes Commission.
Dr. Ravi Varma Kumar
Former Chairperson, Karnataka Backward Classes Commission
Prof. Imtiaz Ahmad, Sociologist, New Delhi
Moderator: Valerian Rodrigues
Political Scientiest, JNU
4.45 p.m. / Coffee Break
5.00 p.m. / Concluding Session
(Followed by Press Conference/Bangalore Declaration) / Satish Deshpande, Ravi Varma Kumar, Valerian Rodrigues, S. Japhet
6.00 p.m. / Vote of Thanks / Chandan Gowda

List of Workshop Participants

  1. Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat, Chairman, UGC, New Delhi
  2. Mr. D. Raja, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
  3. Justice M. N. Rao, Chairman, National Backward Classes Commission, New Delhi
  4. Prof. D.L. Sheth, CSDS,New Delhi
  5. Prof. Satish Deshpande, Professor of Sociology, DelhiSchool of Economics
  6. Prof. Peter D’Souza, Director, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla
  7. Prof. Imtiaz Ahmad, Sociologist
  8. Prof. Valerian Rodrigues, JNU
  9. Dr. Vijayanunni, Former Registrar General, Census 2001
  10. T. K. Anil Kumar, IAS, Director of Census Operation, Bangalore
  11. Dr. Dilip Mandal, Independent Researcher
  12. Dr. Ravi Varma Kumar, ex-Chairman, KarnatakaStateBackward Classes Commission
  13. Prof. N. Jayaram, TISS, Mumbai
  14. Prof. R.S. Deshpande, Director, ISEC, Bangalore
  15. Mr. Rajasekhar Vundru, IAS Officer
  16. Dr. Chinna Rao, Political Scientist, JNU
  17. Motamma, Opposition Leader in the Karnataka Legislative Council and ex-Minister
  18. Dr. Siddalingaiah, President, Kannada Book Authority
  19. Dr. Baragur Ramachandrappa, Writer
  20. Mr. Devanoora Mahadeva, Writer
  21. Indudara Honnapura, Editor, Samvaada
  22. Banjagere Jayaprakash, Writer
  23. Dr. Dwarkanath, Former Chairman, State Backward Classes Commission
  24. Dr. Ambrose Pinto, Principal, St. Joseph’s College
  25. Dr. Nataraj Huliyar, Professor, Gulbarga Central University
  26. Dr. K. James, Demographer, ISEC
  27. Manohar Yadav, Sociologist, ISEC
  28. Dr. Ramesh,Professor & Director, CSSEIP , MysoreUniversity
  29. Dr. Vishwanatha,Professor & Director, CSSEIP, MangaloreUniversity
  30. Dr. Jeevan Kumar,Political Scientist, BangaloreUniversity
  31. Shri. Mavalli Shankar, DSS Activist, Bangalore
  32. M. Venkataswamy, RPI President (Karnataka)
  33. Shivasundar, Journalist
  34. Dr. Leela Sampige, Director, Putani Goodu
  35. Jayakumar, Journalist
  36. S. Gangadhariaiah, Lecturer, English, Tumkur
  37. Dr. Maruti, Lecturer, Law, MysoreUniversity
  38. Dr. Rangaswamy, Director, CSSEIP
  39. Banu Musthaq, Writer and Advocate, Hassan
  40. Peerbasha, Poet
  41. Basavaraj Sulibhavi, Writer and Publisher
  42. Mukudappa, President, AHINDA
  43. J. Srinivasan, Leader, AHINDA
  44. S. Mariswamy, former IPS officer
  45. Prithvi Chandra Datta Shobhi, Assistant Professor, Humanities, SFSU
  46. Jahangir Pasha, State Backward Classes Commission
  47. Prof. S. Japhet, Director, CSSEIP, NLSIU
  48. Chandan Gowda, Associate Professor, CSSEIP, NLSIU
  49. Sudeep Basu, Assistant Professor, CSSEIP, NLSIU

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