Overview

• The Indian government formally approved caste enumeration in the upcoming national census, marking the first such effort since 1931.
• Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, claim credit for pressuring the government into this decision, framing it as a victory for their longstanding demands.
• Bihar, which conducted a state-level caste survey in 2022, will serve as a testing ground for the political impact of this move during its upcoming assembly elections.
• The BJP faces internal dissent, with upper-caste supporters expressing concerns over expanded reservations and potential shifts in party ideology.
• The census will employ a digitized methodology to ensure accuracy, addressing flaws seen in the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census, and aims to inform more equitable policy decisions.