National Conference

Caste Census: Towards an Inclusive India

Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policy
(CSSEIP),
National Law School of India University, 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
conference involving academics, policy makers, legal scholars and activists to

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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.

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 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 2011 Caste Census: The Issues at Hand Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat
a.m. Chairperson, UGC
New Delhi

Moderator: Peter D’ Souza,

Discussion Director, IIAS, Shimla
10.25
a.m.
10.45 Coffee Break

11.00 Why Count Only the OBCs? Prof. D. L. Sheth

a.m. CSDS, New Delhi

Justifying the Caste Census - A Reply to Prof. Satish Deshpande

11.20 Critics Department of Sociology,
a.m. Delhi School of Economics

Moderator: Chandan
Gowda, Associate
Discussion Professor, CSSEIP
11.50
a.m.
1.30 p.m. Lunch

2.15 p.m. Counting Caste: Methodological Dr. Vijayanunni

Challenges Former Registrar General
Census 2001

Moderator: Dilip Mandal,

2.45 p.m. Independent Researcher
Discussion
3.15 p.m. Justice M. N. Rao
Chairperson, National
Backward Classes
Commission.
Identifying OBCs Across States, Across
Religions Dr. Ravi Varma Kumar
Former Chairperson,
Karnataka Backward
Classes Commission

Prof. Imtiaz Ahmad,

Sociologist, New Delhi

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 Moderator: Valerian
Rodrigues
Political Scientiest, JNU
4.45 p.m. Coffee Break
5.00 p.m. Concluding Session Satish Deshpande, Ravi
(Followed by Press Conference/Bangalore Varma Kumar, Valerian
Declaration) 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, Delhi School 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, Karnataka State Backward
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 , Mysore University
29. Dr. Vishwanatha, Professor & Director, CSSEIP, Mangalore
University
30. Dr. Jeevan Kumar, Political Scientist, Bangalore University
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
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36. S. Gangadhariaiah, Lecturer, English, Tumkur
37. Dr. Maruti, Lecturer, Law, Mysore University
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