Caste in the Census

Abstract

Because the census originally took up caste questions during the colonial period, the idea that such classifying and categorising was used for the purpose of domination took hold. In independent India there was a refusal to use caste in the census. This did not in any case lead to any lessening of caste divisions and conflicts; atrocities on dalits have continued; new life seems to be coming in the brutal traditionalism of many khap panchayats. The caste structure is being transformed in an era of globalisation, but survives in changing form. However, for purposes of understanding a complex social structure of inequality in order to transform it and formulate policies that will eventually annihilate caste, it is necessary to gather information, and the census is the best means for that. The method should be self-identification: there can be a simple question and people can respond (if they don’t admit to caste they can say ‘none’ or ‘Indian’ or ‘mixed’). The record of mixed (from mixed marriages) will also be useful in monitoring the decline of casteism.