The Karnataka government will carry out a Social and Educational survey, commonly referred to as the caste census, over 15 days from September 22 to October 7, announced Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday.
The Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission has been assigned to submit the survey report by the end of October, which will help guide the state’s upcoming budget. A preliminary meeting regarding the survey took place on Wednesday, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, as reported by PTI.
What did Siddaramaiah say about survey?
“The Backward Classes Commission has submitted a proposal to the government to conduct a social and educational survey. Accordingly, a survey of all 7 crore people in the state will be conducted. The main objective of the census is to eliminate caste discrimination,” the CM was quoted as saying by his office in a statement.
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The survey also aims to gather comprehensive data on the financial status and land ownership. Siddaramaiah said, “This time, the survey should be a model survey in the country.”
“It has been decided to conduct the survey for 15 days from September 22 to October 7. The survey report should be submitted by the end of October. Instructions have been given to start preliminary preparations for the survey, including training from now itself,” he added.
On June 12, the Karnataka cabinet decided to conduct a fresh social and educational survey (caste census), effectively discarding the 2015 survey that cost around ₹165 crore, citing legal reasons.
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The cabinet referred to Section 11(1) of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1995, which requires revising the state’s backward classes list every 10 years.
This decision came following directives from Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to carry out caste re-enumeration in Karnataka, addressing concerns from communities excluded in the previous survey a decade ago.
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During the meeting, Siddaramaiah stressed that measures would be taken to prevent complaints and assured that no one would be left out of the survey.
“The Kantharaju Commission had previously conducted the survey manually by preparing 54 questions. This time, more elements will be included in the survey. This time, the survey will be conducted using a mobile app,” he said.
Instructions have been given to study the social and educational census conducted in neighbouring Telangana, and it has also been decided to form a high-level committee to oversee the survey work. The CM stressed the need for a scientific and transparent approach, with assistance from an expert committee to finalise the questions to be asked in the survey.
Pointing out that human resources, including 1.65 lakh enumerators, are required for the survey work, Siddaramaiah said along with the services of teachers, staff from other departments will also be used for the fresh survey. The CM asked all the departments concerned to work in coordination and make the survey a success.
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Backward Classes Welfare Minister Shivaraj Thangadgi, Chairman of the State Backward Classes Commission Madhusudan R Naik, Chief Secretary to the Government Shalini Rajneesh , Chief Minister’s Legal Advisor and MLA Ponnanna, and senior officials attended the meeting. Various communities, especially Karnataka’s two dominant ones — Vokkaligas and Veershaiva-Lingayats — had expressed strong reservations about the caste survey that was done in 2015, calling it “unscientific”, and had demanded that it be rejected, and a fresh survey be conducted.
This time, the survey should be a model survey in the country.
Measures would be taken to prevent complaints and assure that no one would be left out of the survey.
There are also strong voices against it from within the ruling Congress.