NEW DELHI, May 1: In a major policy shift, the central government on Wednesday announced that caste enumeration will be included in the upcoming population census. The decision, taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), was revealed during a media briefing by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Vaishnaw emphasized that while several states have undertaken caste-based surveys on their own, the authority to conduct a national census lies exclusively with the central government. “The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has decided today that caste enumeration will be part of the forthcoming census,” the minister said.

He criticized previous Congress-led governments for consistently opposing the inclusion of caste in the census. “Since independence, caste was never included in any official census. In 2010, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured the Lok Sabha that the matter would be taken up by the cabinet. A Group of Ministers was formed to deliberate on the issue, and most political parties supported a caste census. However, the Congress-led government at the time opted only for a caste-based survey — the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) — instead of a full-fledged census,” Vaishnaw stated.

The minister further alleged that the Congress party and its INDI alliance partners have used the caste census issue primarily for political gain. He underscored that under Article 246 of the Constitution, census activities fall under Entry 69 of the Union List in the Seventh Schedule, reinforcing that it is solely a Union subject.

“While some states have conducted caste surveys — some effectively, others for political gain in a non-transparent manner — the central government believes that a transparent caste enumeration as part of the official census will prevent the politicization of this sensitive issue,” he said.

Vaishnaw asserted that the inclusion of caste data in the census will contribute significantly to strengthening the country’s social and economic framework. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has taken this decision, demonstrating the government’s commitment to the values and aspirations of society,” he added.

Highlighting past initiatives of the Modi government in promoting social justice, Vaishnaw pointed to the implementation of a 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), which he said was done without affecting the rights of any existing category.